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Update: Google tells TechCrunch that it remains committed to augmented reality, stating, “For years, we’ve been building AR into many Google products and we’ll continue to look at ways to bring new, innovative AR experiences across our product portfolio.” I know at least one TC staffer who is gutted by the inevitable second death of […]
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Applications in the metaverse often feel like more of a marketing gimmick than something that a critical mass of consumers would use, let alone pay for. But turn to the enterprise, and there appears to be a very lucrative opportunity that’s well into finding traction. Today, one of the early movers in building solutions for […]
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Apple’s highly anticipated mixed reality headset may now have a name, according to a Bloomberg report earlier this week. The outlet spotted trademarks in the U.S. and global markets related to the device that were filed by Apple-affiliated firms. Names like “Reality One,” “Reality Pro” and “Reality Processor” were filed by a supposed shell corporation […]
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Snapchat has launched a new in-app game called Ghost Phone designed to showcase the company’s AR technology by allowing players to discover the secrets of an abandoned phone and hunt supernatural beings around them. To launch the game, users can either head to Snapchat’s Lens Explorer and find the Lens called Ghost Phone, tap the […]
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From Project Ara to Wave, Google has a rich history of bailing on neat ideas when the going gets tough. Yet unlike those forgone experiments, augmented-reality glasses apparently aren’t doomed to rest in Google’s metaphorical graveyard. Instead, the advertising company is tip-toeing its spiritual successor to Glass back into the wild. After teasing the smart […]
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Welcome back to This Week in Apps, the weekly TechCrunch series that recaps the latest in mobile OS news, mobile applications and the overall app economy. Global app spending reached $65 billion in the first half of 2022, up only slightly from the $64.4 billion during the same period in 2021, as hypergrowth fueled by […]
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It’s been an interesting life for Magic Leap, the augmented reality startup with big dreams and some big moments of hubris thus far. Today, the company detailed the availability and pricing of its next release: the Magic Leap 2. Unlike its first release, this headset will be geared entirely toward professional users with less intentional […]
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Pokémon GO developer Niantic is running into trouble as it builds “the real-world metaverse.” Like so many other tech companies facing turbulent economic times, the company decided to let go of 8% of its staff, affecting about 85 to 90 people. Just seven months ago, the company raised $300 million at a $9 billion valuation, […]
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WayRay’s deck consists of a whopping 75 slides — around 50 more than I would typically recommend — and it’s clear that the founders took a different tack than what we’re used to seeing these days.
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As more tech companies develop virtual and augmented reality products, some oversight groups are trying to keep the industry on the same page. The newest of these is the Metaverse Standards Forum, which aims to drive open interoperability, which could make it easier for developers to build across platforms. As announced today, the forum already […]
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