Meta And Magic Leap Reportedly In Talks Over AR Tech As Apple Headset Nears

Meta is reportedly eyeing a deal with Magic Leap that covers licensing its augmented reality tech and also availing its contract manufacturing services. According to the Financial Times, the two companies are “in talks to create a multiyear agreement” that would allow Meta to access some of Magic Leap’s AR intellectual property and use its supply chain and manufacturing capabilities in North America for future products.

Magic Leap’s CEO Peggy Johnson also confirmed back in 2021, following the launch of Magic Leap’s second-generation AR glasses, that the company was receiving enthusiasm for applying its in-house AR tech inside consumer devices. “We have received several requests to license our technology and will actively pursue these opportunities if they enhance our position,” Johnson wrote in a blog post. Meta’s interest in Magic Leap’s AR expertise and resources comes right at the 11th hour of a potential industry disruption heralded by Apple.

The Tim Cook-led company is reportedly prepping the launch of its first AR/VR headset, supposedly under the Reality branding, at its World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June. Apple’s headset is said to be the most advanced to hit the market so far, with industry insiders claiming that it would revolutionize the segment where Meta is dreaming of its own metaverse. The Mark Zuckerberg-led company is currently the leader in the XR segment, thanks to its Quest (formerly Oculus) series of hardware, but it hasn’t really come close to achieving Zuckerberg’s lofty ideas.

GPT’s reaction to this article:

As an AI language model, I do not have personal opinions or beliefs. However, based on the article you provided, it seems that Meta is seeking to strengthen its position in the AR market by potentially partnering with Magic Leap for access to their intellectual property and manufacturing capabilities. This move comes as Apple is reportedly preparing to launch its own AR/VR headset, which could potentially disrupt the industry. It will be interesting to see how Meta’s potential partnership with Magic Leap will affect their competition with Apple and their pursuit of the metaverse.