Report: Apple close to acquiring virtual reality startup NextVR
See the full story here: https://siliconangle.com/2020/04/05/report-apple-close-acquiring-virtual-reality-startup-nextvr/One reason for Apple’s interest is that NextVR reportedly failed to secure a Series C funding round in early 2019, which led to 40% of its workforce being laid off. 9To5Mac reported that the company’s potential investors were scared off by a growing interest in augmented reality tech startups that could potentially rival NextVR.
Apple may also want NextVR for its patented technologies. The company is said to hold more than 40 patents around VR and related technologies, including one that enables it to upscale live video streams.
Then again, Apple’s motivation for buying NextVR could be a lot more straightforward, Pund-IT Inc. analyst Charles King told SiliconANGLE. He speculated that Apple might simply be trying to grab a share of the emerging market for VR-focused sports and music events for itself.