Apple hardware and software have always been designed together for the best experience possible. The iPadOS, iOS 13, and ARKit 3 took advantage of the powerful hardware in iPhone and iPad to bring the virtual world seamlessly into the real world. Now, a 9to5Mac report has revealed that Apple is planning to strike a $100-million deal to acquire Orange County-based VR firm NextVR.
Launched in 2009, NextVR has world-class partnerships with leaders in sports and entertainment, including the NBA, WWE, FOX Sports, Live Nation, and the International Champions Cup. The company also provides VR experiences for watching live events through VR headsets from Oculus Rift and Quest, HTC Vive and VIVE Pro, PlayStation, Microsoft, Google amongst many others.
Hoever, there is no official announcement made by Apple about the acquisition of NextVR, the 9to5Mac report informed that a shell company created this year that’s believed to be Apple is hiring most of the engineers from NextVR. It further added that the two companies have started telling employees who will likely need to relocate from the San Diego area to the Cupertino area.
Since long, news is rife that Apple is working on a headset capable of running both AR and VR technology. As per the rumour mills, the plans so far call for an 8K display for each eye that would be untethered from a computer or smartphone. Back in 2018, a CNet report had revealed that the project, which had been codenamed T288, is still in its early stages but is slated for release in 2020. However, the current rumours hints that an AR/VR headset could be released as early as 2021.
Recently, Apple has acquired DarkSky app that is known for its radar maps and accuracy of its weather predictions. It is likely that the tech giant will use Dark Sky’s know how to come up with its own Weather app.
“Our goal has always been to provide the world with the best weather information possible, to help as many people as we can stay dry and safe, and to do so in a way that respects your privacy. There is no better place to accomplish these goals than at Apple. We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to reach far more people, with far more impact, than we ever could alone,” the Dark Sky team wrote in a blog post.
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