Published in IoT

Meta in talks with Magic Leap

by on24 May 2023


Part of the Metaverse project

Facebook's parent company Meta is reportedly in discussions with augmented reality start-up Magic Leap to establish a multiyear agreement for intellectual property licensing and contract manufacturing in North America.

While the partnership is not expected to result in a joint headset, Magic Leap's technology could play a crucial role in Meta's ambitious metaverse project as it seeks to compete with Apple's upcoming mixed reality device.

Other than specs, Magic Leap produces custom components, including high-tech lenses and associated software, which are key technologies that may be required to build a metaverse.

One thing that Meta might be interested in is Magic Leap's "waveguides" -- technology that allows thin glass in front of the user's eyes to conjure up realistic images at different depths.

Meta sells nearly 80 per cent of all VR/AR headsets through its VR Quest models. But the market itself is small -- fewer than nine million units sold last year.

The company told the Financial Times: "Given the complexities of developing true augmented reality technologies and the intricacies involved with manufacturing these optics, as well as the issues many companies experience with overseas supply chain dependencies, we have entered into several non-exclusive IP licensing and manufacturing partnerships with companies looking to enter the AR market or expand their current position."

 

Last modified on 24 May 2023
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