"To better prepare Magic Leap for the future, we have taken a close look at our business and are making targeted changes to how we operate and manage costs. This has made it necessary for us to make the incredibly difficult decision to lay off a number of employees across Magic Leap.
This has been a painful process, as every member of our Magic Leap team has demonstrated not only unparalleled talent but a true passion for our company’s mission. But after lengthy, careful consideration, I have determined this is ultimately necessary to give us the best chance for future success. These changes will occur at every level of our company, from my direct reports to our factory employees.”
Considering that this pandemic will impact the world for a solid year (until a proper vaccine is released and implemented globally), I imagine that we'll start seeing a lot of this type of thing in situations where:
The price is just too damn high for AR/VR.
The experience requires physical presence (e.g. VR Arcades)
VR at Home and the Workplace should begin to flourish now that working remote and social distancing are becoming the new norm.
According to a similar article in The Verge, Magic Leap is dropping their consumer business, in order to focus on "Enterprise uses." This makes sense... I have Firefox Reality setup with a 360 degree view of different stock market related screens; makes me feel like I'm right on the trading floor.
I'm not sure if it's Covid-19 related myself. AR performance + price is the issue. Definitely not ready for the consumer yet but I can definitely see great potential in the Enterprise arena - Spatial, Arvizio etc.
Do any of you remember that scent device that would attach to any VR headset. Well that was killed due to changing NA legislation over the vape like scents they were going to be using. Killed that business. These things happen.
System Specs: MSI NVIDIA RTX 4090 , i5 13700K CPU, 32GB DDR 4 RAM, Win 11 64 Bit OS.
Do any of you remember that scent device that would attach to any VR headset. Well that was killed due to changing NA legislation over the vape like scents they were going to be using. Killed that business. These things happen.
Sorta like what happened to Ayds candy, and now Corona beer, LOL.
Magic Leap was on life support before COVID. They sold something ridiculous like 1% of their target. There has been speculation for at least a year that they would be bought up by another company.
Not surprise - over hype - or budget project that wasnt much further in design than a number of other business working on the same type of AR/VR design.
- misleading hype and disappointing reveal made people wary of them
- looks strange
- too expensive for the consumer market
- not enough reason for the enterprise market to pick it over the hololens 2 (which has better hand tracking, more software, higher res, backed by microsoft, azure cloud rendering)
It reminds me of the Segway, all the hype about how cities would be redesigned for them and crap, but it was finally revealed to be a scooter.
Magic-leap was victim of their over advertising... under delivering. Hyper realistic claims and average product which was doing nothing different than already available devices while burning huge cash pile in process. The layoff didn't surprised me. Those who got free of ML must thank god that it happened, now offering them opportunity to join some real product than hype engine. real culprits are still with company searching for someone to con with sell and get their hands clean. Interesting time ahead for what happens with Not so Magical Leap.
While stuff like Magic leap need to happen as part of the evolution of VR...it comes as no surprise if it fails or doesn't gain any traction...considering the price point and how quickly things change in today's tech industry. From a consumer point of view it's pointless given other 'cheaper' technology available.
