Apple drops some loose change on AR startup Vrvana

Apple has acquired mixed reality startup Vrvana for a reported US$30 million dollars, according to TechCrunch. Late to the VR and AR game, Apple only recently revealed its interest in AR with the arrival of iOS 11. Coupled with ARKit, developers have started populating the App Store with numerous AR-enabled experiences.

However, Apple’s interest in AR and VR appears to also extend beyond its popular mobile devices. Apple CEO has hinted that he sees a lot of potential in AR and VR that extends beyond gaming and into product development and design. Its new iMacs and the forthcoming iMac Pro have all been equipped with VR and AR-capable GPUs.

While Vrvana has been focused on developing entertainment experiences, its technology has a unique ability to transition seamlessly between AR and VR experiences. Apple, which has been rumored to be developing its own headset, is likely particularly interested in this aspect of what Vrvana is offers. 

The $30 million acquisition price is chump change for Apple, which has over US$200 billion in cash and liquid assets. Its rumored VR headset is said to arrive in 2018, so it will be interesting to see how it integrates Vrvana’s tech into its own product.

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