Google and Magic Leap have partnered to make Metaverse glasses, despite past flops.
Magic Leap recently announced a “multifaceted, strategic technology partnership” with Google to develop new augmented reality technologies.
The partnership marks what could be considered an unusual pairing in the tech world. Google recently revamped the augmented and augmented reality (AR/XR) lineup, and Magic Leap is the biggest flop in the field. Still, this news could bode well for MetaVass in general, as it could mean more competition for Apple and Meta when it comes to Meta version hardware and experiences.
According to a statement by Magic Leap CTO Julie Larson-Green, the partnership highlights Magic Leap's progress in the field of optics alongside Google's infrastructure.
“This partnership will accelerate the transformative power of AR by combining our extensive optics capabilities with Google's technologies to introduce immersive experiences to the developer ecosystem and customers. We look forward to expanding the capabilities of XR – integrating the physical world with cost-effective and context-relevant solutions.
The press release doesn't reveal any actual products or announce any potential services, but it could indicate that this is a new headset fit for the AR/XR, and as such, a very important competition to the current market leaders in the Meta and Apple.
Related: Apple is ready to bring Metaverse mainstream and dominate the market.
As The Verge's Sean Hollister pointed out in a recent article, it's unclear exactly what Google is getting out of the deal. Its prowess in creating bespoke hardware is evident in its array of home products, from Pixel smartphones to well-reviewed smart speakers. However, when it comes to AR/XR headsets and glasses, Magic Leap and Google have been notorious for their failures in the Magic Leap and Google Glass headsets respectively.
Hollister speculates that the partnership could be the result of Magic Leap holding a patent or method that Google wants. But it's possible that Google doesn't want to roll out a new AR/XR unit after January's layoffs, or fall behind its bigger rivals.
