Apple has acquired Mira , a Los Angeles-based AR startup that makes headsets for other companies and the U.S. military, according to a post from the CEO’s private Instagram account yesterday seen by The Verge and a person familiar with the matter. Apple confirmed the acquisition .
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The news comes just a day after Apple unveiled the Vision Pro , a $3,499 mixed-reality headset that the company has billed as a new “spatial” computing platform. It’s unclear how much Apple paid for Mira , which has raised about $17 million in funding to date. Jony Ive, Apple ’s former chief design officer , was an advisor to the startup at one point, according to two former employees who spoke on condition of anonymity to speak without the company’s permission.
Apple shared with The Verge its standard statement when it buys a company: “Apple occasionally acquires smaller technology companies, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans.” It’s unclear whether Apple will continue Mira ’s military contracts , but given how the company operates, it’s highly unlikely that the work will continue.
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Mira ’s military contracts include a small deal with the U.S. Air Force and a $702,351 deal with the Navy, according to government records and press releases. The Air Force contract is for military pilots at Travis Air Force Base, who will use the startup’s Prism Pro headset to display things like heads-up instructions. “ Mira builds the most scalable augmented reality hardware + software solutions on the market—enabling frontline workers to have communication tools and information when they need it most,” according to the company’s website.
Another big deal for Mira is with Nintendo World, which uses its headsets for the Mario Kart ride at its theme parks in Japan and Universal Studios in Los Angeles. Mira display virtual characters and objects from the game to enhance the ride as you progress through it.
Apple has hired at least 11 of Mira ’s employees as part of the acquisition, according to a private post on CEO Ben Taft’s Instagram account , which featured a series of employee badges. “Excited for Mira ’s next chapter , at Apple :),” he wrote in the caption. “7 year journey from dorm room to acquisition.”
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source of information:theverge.com
