Apple hasnโt cleared the purpose behind its acquisition of AR startup Mira. The headsets developed by Mira have been built for industrial applications.
A day after tech giant Apple announced its much-awaited mixed reality headset Apple Vision Pro, it confirmed the acquisition of Los Angeles-based AR startup Mira. The Verge was first to report this news on Wednesday, June 7, citing a post from Mira CEOโs private account.
Appleโs Interest in Mira
Later, Apple as well confirmed the news regarding the acquisition. The Los Angeles-based augmented reality (AR) startup Mira makes headsets for different industries as well as the US military. Itโs unclear how much did Apple pay for the Mira acquisition. The AR startup has raised a total of $17 million in funds to date.
Sources familiar with the matter said that Appleโs former design chief Jony Ive, was an advisor to Mira at one point. Apple didnโt disclose much about the acquisition, but in a statement to The Verge it said:
โApple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans.โ
Also, thereโs no clarity on what the future holds for Mira after Appleโs acquisition. Itโs also unclear whether Apple will continue the operations with Miraโs military contracts. Considering the way that Apple operates, itโs unlikely that the tech giant would continue with these contracts.
As per the private post on Mira CEO Ben Taftโs Instagram account, Apple brought on at least 11 of Miraโs employees as part of the acquisition. In his post caption, Taft wrote:
โExcited for Miraโs next chapter, at Apple. 7-year journey from dorm room to acquisition.โ
Miraโs Headset and Contracts
The newly unveiled mixed-reality headset Apple Vision Pro features innovations packed toward personalized virtual reality. On the other hand, Miraโs headsets have been purpose-built for industrial applications.
Some of the current use cases of Miraโs headsets include steel,c chemical, food manufacturing, defense, and mining services. Mira has secured military contracts, including a small agreement with the US Air Force and a $702,351 agreement with the Navy. The Air Force contract allows military pilots at Travis Air Force Base to utilize Miraโs Prism Pro headset, which displays heads-up equipment instructions and other relevant information.
โMira builds the most scalable augmented reality hardware + software solutions in the market- enabling frontline workforces with communication tools and information when they need it most,โ the company notes on its website.
Additionally, other prominent implementations of Miraโs AR headsets are for Universal Studios in Nintendo World theme parks. Mira has also secured a significant contract with Nintendo World for the integration of their headsets into the Mario Kart ride at theme parks in Japan and LAโs Universal Studios. These headsets provide an immersive experience by displaying virtual characters and items from the game as riders progress through the ride.
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