Next Reality

News: Jaunt Hit with Layoffs as Startup Abandons VR Business to Focus on Augmented Reality

After building its business on virtual reality, Jaunt is leaving the technology behind to focus on building tools for creating augmented reality content.

News: Owlchemy Labs ARCore Experiment Lets Android Users View a Friend's VR Experience from Their Smartphone

Google subsidiary Owlchemy Labs has cooked up an experimental ARCore mobile app that enables smartphone users to follow along with their VR friends as they play games in a head-mounted display.

Market Reality: L'Oreal's Rochet Leads NR30's AR Influencers & Magic Leap Demonstrates Its Own Influence at L.E.A.P. Con

This week, Next Reality released the fifth and final set of profiles on the NR30 leaders in augmented reality, with this chapter focusing on the influencers in the industry.

News: Visualix AR Cloud Platform Looks to Give Enterprises the Ability to Virtually Map Their Facilities

A new augmented reality cloud platform from German startup Visualix is working to give enterprises the capability to scan their own warehouses, factories, and stores and create maps for augmented reality navigation.

News: Snapchat Becomes SnapCAT with AR Lenses for Your Feline Friends

Have you ever browsed through Lenses on Snapchat and got bummed out when the app recommends that you "try this with a friend" and you're all alone? Well, now you can take AR snaps with your cat!

News: Niantic Levels the Pokémon GO Playing Field Between iPhone & Android with ARCore Support

Players of Pokémon GO on Android now have a reason to turn on AR mode with the release of AR+ support via ARCore.

News: Apple Continues Assembling AR Arsenal with Acquisition of Spektral's Background Removal Tech, Report Says

Adding another arrow to its quiver of augmented reality acquisitions, Apple has reportedly acquired Spektral, a computer vision company with technology for real-time compositing (otherwise know as the "green screen" technique in broadcast TV and film).

News: I Met Magic Leap's AI Assistant Mica & Saw the Future of Augmented Reality

Unlike VR, when you're talking about augmented reality, describing what an experience is like can be incredibly difficult — primarily because the experiences are even more contextual than relatively static virtual worlds that don't involve real-world settings.

News: MagiMask Is Probably Not the AR Headset You're Looking for, but Offers a Cute Trick for Mobile AR

So far, consumer augmented reality headsets haven't found mainstream success. That's primarily because no manufacturer has managed to hit the sweet spot between slim form factor, performance, and affordability.

News: The Sims Freeplay Adds Multiplayer Augmented Reality Mode via ARKit 2.0

Electronic Arts is inviting players of The Sims Freeplay and their friends to visit the homes of their Sims in augmented reality with a new AR mode that supports multiplayer and persistent content using ARKit 2.0.

News: Magic Leap's Chief Content Officer Rio Caraeff Opens Up on Walled Gardens, Data Privacy, & Blockchain

Over the years, Magic Leap's long-cultivated shroud of mystery led some onlookers to buy into the company's dream before even trying the device, while for others, the secrecy seems to have stoked the kind of resentment and overcorrecting critique usually reserved for the mighty Apple.

News: Adobe Recruits Adidas to Create AR Retail Store Experience via Project Aero

At its annual MAX event kicking off on Monday in Los Angeles, Adobe gave the audience a new preview of its forthcoming Project Aero augmented reality authoring tool during the keynote presentation.

News: Niantic Plugs Its Real World Platform into Deutsche Telekom's 5G Network & MobiledgeX Servers

When Pokémon GO developer Niantic launches its Real World Platform for augmented reality gaming, it will run over 5G speeds courtesy of T-Mobile parent company Deutsche Telekom and the edge servers of its MobiledgeX subsidiary, the companies announced today.

News: Snapchat Originals Blend Augmented Reality Scenes into Scripted Shows & Documentary Series

Snapchat is joining the ranks of Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, YouTube, and Apple in the trend toward streaming original programming, but with a twist that rings true to its roots.

News: Did NASA Leak the HoloLens 2 in This Video?

Rumors are swirling today that NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) may have shown us the first public glimpse of the next-generation HoloLens. Are they real? Or just a prototype? We've been digging in all day to find the answers.

NR30: The Augmented Reality Influencers of 2018

Influencers of augmented reality demonstrate expertise in their fields and outline a strong vision for the future that they evangelize to others. They help define the direction of the industry and identify others who foster and create innovation in the field.

News: Everything Magic Leap Revealed During Its First Annual L.E.A.P. Conference Keynote Event

Like many things associated with Magic Leap, the start of the company's first annual L.E.A.P. conference got off to a unique start. Taking the stage on Wednesday morning in Los Angeles, the company's CEO, Rony Abovitz, gave a brief introductory speech welcoming the crowd and outlining the mission of Magic Leap.

News: AT&T to Launch DirectTV App for Magic Leap One in 2019, Sets Up 5G Test Area at Magic Leap Headquarters

Magic Leap and AT&T have lifted the lid on multiple parts of their mysterious relationship today. According to AT&T Communications CEO John Donovan, the company is planning to launch a beta version of DirectTV Now for the Magic Leap One in 2019.

News: Insomniac Games Unveils Seedling Experience for Magic Leap One

The game wizards at Insomniac take pride in diving deep when it comes to world-building, and the same is true for the studio's latest title for Magic Leap One called Seedling.

News: Air New Zealand Takes Wraps Off Magic Leap One Adventure Tourism Game

The thrill and excitement of great tourism generally requires visitors to take part in the country's local fare in person. But Air New Zealand's new augmented reality experience for the Magic Leap One gives visitors an immersive taste of what the country has to offer without ever setting foot in the country.

News: Onshape Partners with Magic Leap to Bring Its Collaborative Industrial 3D Design Tool to AR

Departing from the long string of entertainment-focused partnerships released in recent weeks and months, a new, enterprise-focused Magic Leap app has finally emerged in the form of Onshape.

News: Magic Leap & Weta Workshop Release Dr. Grordbort's Invaders for Magic Leap One

As promised last week, Magic Leap has finally released the long-awaited augmented reality game Dr. Grordbort's Invaders.

News: Magic Leap One Now Available to Most US Consumers, Affirm Partner Offers Buyer Financing

One the main gripes against cutting-edge augmented reality headsets like the Magic Leap One and the HoloLens is the price — they're pretty expensive compared to most consumer devices. Well, now some of that pain has been relieved for those looking to pick up a Magic Leap One as the company has just announced a financing option that allows anyone with a spare $96/month to gradually pay their way into full ownership of the device.

News: Google Brings Marvel's Avengers & Childish Gambino to AR with Playground for Pixel

If you own a Google Pixel, you'll soon have augmented reality versions of Iron Man, the Incredible Hulk, and Childish Gambino on your camera.

News: Upskill Releases HoloLens Version of Skylight AR Productivity Platform

Augmented reality productivity software maker Upskill has expanded the reach of its Skylight platform with support for Microsoft HoloLens.

News: Rovio's Mobile Gaming Classic Angry Birds Comes to Augmented Reality via Magic Leap One

Less than three weeks after Rovio Entertainment announced the game, the augmented reality adaptation of Angry Birds is now available for the Magic Leap One.

News: The Porgs from Star Wars Are Coming to Magic Leap One

It turns out that Dr. Grordbort's Invaders is not the only Magic Leap demo to become a reality for the Magic Leap One.

News: Investors Bank $30M on Varjo for VR/AR Headset with 'Human-Eye Resolution'

A Series B round of funding, totaling $30 million, will enable Helsinki-based startup Varjo to launch its industrial-grade augmented and virtual reality headset capable of "human-eye resolution" before the end of the year.

News: Magic Leap Teaser for Dr. Grordbort's Invaders Previews Forthcoming Release During L.E.A.P. Conference

Magic Leap One owners with itchy trigger fingers may have their itch scratched next week, as Magic Leap has shared a brief teaser on Twitter for the long-awaited Dr. Grordbort's Invaders game from Weta Workshop.

Market Reality: Disney's Bob Iger Leads NR30 AR Investors, Magic Leap Acquires Computes, & Snap to Invest in AR Hardware

This week, we continued our NR30 series highlighting the leaders of augmented reality space by profiling the venture capitalists and strategic corporate investors that sustain the industry.

News: Snap CEO Memo Confirms Spectacles Are First Step Toward AR Smartglasses

In a leaked company memo, Snap CEO (and NR30 member) Evan Spiegel has made it clear that the future of the company lies not only augmented reality but also hardware that enables those AR experiences.

News: Magic Leap's Acquisition of Computes Strengthens Mesh Computing Capabilities by Crowdsourcing Processing Power

The latest business move by Magic Leap could result in a significant boost to its spatial computing platform's performance and headset design.

News: Brainlab Prescribes Magic Leap as Cure for Visualizing Medical Imaging Data, Lumin Updates Pushed to Devs

While many of the latest content partnerships announced by Magic Leap appear to lean towards entertainment and gaming, a new partnership with medical technology provider Brainlab has Magic Leap getting down to more serious business.

News: ThirdEye Reveals X2 Smartglasses Design & Retail Partnership with b8ta

Smartglasses maker ThirdEye has announced that its X1 model wearable will be updated by the slimmer, as yet unreleased X2 model. Both devices will be promoted and sold through its partner, brick and mortar technology retailer b8ta.

News: Snapchat & Facebook AR Experiences Let You Unleash Your Inner Anti-Hero & Become Marvel's Venom

Venom, the latest in a long list of comic book characters to headline its own movie, is known by comic book fans by his catchphrase, "We are Venom."

News: New 'Ghostbusters World' Gameplay Footage Revealed, Haunts Your Neighborhood in the Spirit of Pokémon GO

Location-based AR game Ghostbusters World is creeping closer to launch, and developer FourThirtyThree has released some new gameplay footage and a trailer to capture the interest of the living.

NR30: The Augmented Reality Investment Leaders of 2018

People say that money makes the world go 'round. And it's no different in the world of augmented reality.

News: 'The Purge' Invades Your Safe Home via Mobile AR App

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to try to survive The Purge as depicted in the popular movie series? Well, thanks to augmented reality, now you can.

News: Harry Potter Photo Printer from Lifeprint Turns Snapshots into Magical Augmented Reality Portraits

The Daily Prophet, the enchanted newspaper from Harry Potter lore, is no longer the sole source for magical moving printed photos.

News: Magic Leap & Andy Serkis Reveal Lord of the Rings-Inspired Character for Upcoming AR Experience

We already know that Magic Leap is working with Hollywood motion capture legend Andy Serkis on a new immersive content experience but, so far, all we've heard are descriptions of the work. Well, now the mystery is over, and the character of Grishneck, who Magic Leap mentioned just last month, has finally been revealed.