summary: Perhaps in the near future, we will have a more definite answer.
Recently, augmented reality (AR) startup Magic Leap announced that it has agreed to establish a strategic technology partnership with Google. A Google spokesperson confirmed the news.
stated in a statement that the cooperation between the two parties will combine Magic Leap’s expertise in optics and device manufacturing with Google’s technology platform. It can be said that this cooperation will bring good benefits to both parties. For Magic Leap, partnering with a large tech company like Google could bring their AR technology to a wider market. For Google, this is an opportunity to redefine its position in the AR space.
Once upon a time, magic leap set off an unprecedented craze in the industry, and its iconic "a whale jumping on the stadium floor" demonstration shocked the whole world. At that time, Magic Leap’s name became the focus of the industry, with countless investors and partners vying to cooperate with it.
However, the wheel of fate is always full of unknowns. After experiencing a period of glory, magic leap also unfortunately encountered challenges and difficulties and went downhill. This ups and downs process still makes people feel infinite emotion when looking back on it.
However, magic leap was not defeated by the dilemma. In recent years, Magic Leap has frequently made efforts in content creation and partner expansion, showing a strong desire to survive.
The ill-fated magic leap
magic leap was founded in 2010, and its founder rony abovitz is a serial entrepreneur. A medical robot company he founded in his early years was acquired by the American medical equipment giant Stryker for US$1.65 billion in 2013. Valuation Acquisition. The brilliant entrepreneurial experience of rony abovitz, the founder of
, coupled with his ability to make ppt or draw pie, made magic leap once famous and attracted the favor of many investors. It is reported that a total of US$2.6 billion in financing has been raised since its development, and the company's highest valuation has reached US$6.7 billion.
However, the wheel of fate did not seem to give this young company a smooth journey.
Although magic leap has devoted a lot of effort and resources to its first product, magic leap 1 (ml1 for short), the market feedback is far from expectations. After its release in 2018, this consumer-grade AR device encountered sales difficulties. The original annual sales target was set to be as high as 1 million units. However, within six months of the actual launch, sales only hovered around 6,000 units, which was far from the company's expectations.
According to data from the research institution zanbato, between June 2019 and June 2020, Magic Leap investors made substantial adjustments to the valuation of their equity holdings, with an average impairment of as high as 93%. This figure is even It exceeds the impairment margin of wework.
Faced with the cold reception from the market, magic leap had to make profound reflections and adjustments. In 2020, the company underwent a large-scale restructuring and laid off approximately 700 employees, accounting for 40% of the total workforce at the time. Although this move is painful, it is undoubtedly a difficult choice that the company must make in order to survive and develop.
Although the failure of ML1 put Magic Leap under tremendous pressure, the company has not given up its pursuit and belief in AR technology. Instead, they learned valuable lessons from their failures and set their sights on more mature and stable enterprise markets. To this end, magic leap has invested a lot of resources in the research and development of the follow-up product magic leap 2 (ml2 for short). This device is targeted at enterprise users, with the TOB market as its main target.
In 2022, magic leap 2 will be officially launched, with the basic version priced at US$3,299. This product is designed for commercial practicality, comfort and continuous use. It is 20% lighter and smaller than the magic leap 1 that debuted in 2018. 50%. Magic Leap 2 incorporates new improvements to address issues that have hindered widespread adoption of AR technology in the past. Compared with similar AR devices currently available, Magic Leap 2 has the largest field of view, as well as dynamic dimming, enabling more efficient use in brightly lit environments (such as outdoors) and greater image stability.
14 years later, we are still pursuing our dreams, with frequent innovations this year.
Now, magic leap is embarking on a new journey with a brand-new attitude.
In January this year, Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund injected $590 million into Magic Leap to promote the research and development of its VR headset. It is said that this new headset will be comparable to the Vision Pro, heralding a new shift in the technology field for Magic Leap.
In April this year, magic leap once again demonstrated its technical strength. Its flagship product Magic Leap 2 is now equipped with an app that supports spectator viewing - Magic Leap Spectator, which is developed based on OpenXR technology.
The new Magic Leap Spectator app is available for iPhone users, with an Android version planned "coming soon." Once developers add support in magic leap 2 apps, spectator will allow others in the room to see the virtual objects the headset wearer is seeing in real time from the same location. This not only enhances the interactivity of user experience, but also broadens the application prospects of AR technology in fields such as education, training and marketing.
It is worth mentioning that the spectator app supports recording functions and can be viewed in real time without the need for a second headset. Magic Leap said that this app can be used to create AR application tutorials, documentation or marketing content, providing users with more innovative possibilities.
In terms of cooperation, in March this year, pny launched a breakthrough developer platform that combines the powerful functions of nvidia igx orin, nvidia holoscan and magic leap 2. This cutting-edge suite will empower software and technology vendors to pioneer cutting-edge technologies in key areas such as edge performance and risk mitigation, redefining the boundaries of innovation for industry solutions such as healthcare and industrial applications.
Since this year, Magic Leap seems to be gradually consolidating its leading position in the AR/VR field with its continuous technological innovation and strong partner network.
Summary
Optical technology may be one of the key factors behind Google’s ups and downs in the field of AR glasses. Coupled with reports, a large-scale project within Google called "Project Iris" was shut down sometime last year. A series of ups and downs seemed to put Google temporarily behind its rivals in the race.
Now, magic leap has reached a cooperation with Google. Whether it is the use of more advanced optical technology used in magic leap 2, or the use of new solutions that magic leap has developed and patented, Google can win for itself a way to enter the market. Shortcuts, at least when it comes to optical technology.
Although both Magic Leap and Google are currently cautious, they have not disclosed whether this cooperation is expected to bring about a consumer AR device that integrates the technologies of both parties. However, Magic Leap noted that it is very eager to take advantage of the "cool artificial intelligence" announced by Google at its annual developer conference.
With many technology giants such as Meta, Apple, Pico, Samsung, and Lenovo involved in AR devices, will Magic Leap's technology be outstanding enough and firmly grasp a part of the market?
Perhaps in the near future, we will have a more definite answer.
text/vivi (the pictures that are not annotated in the article are all from the Internet)
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