iPhone company Apple has acquired Mira, a Los Angeles-based AR startup that manufactures enterprise headsets for various companies, as well as the US military. According to The Verge, Mira CEO Ben Taft took to his private Instagram account to share the news of the acquisition which has also been confirmed by Apple.
The news of Mira’s acquisition comes just days after Apple’s announcement of the Vision Pro, a $3,499 mixed-reality headset which the company says will create a new ‘spatial’ computing platform.
Apple has since brought in more than 10 of Mira’s employees as part of the acquisition. “Excited for Mira’s next chapter, at Apple :),” Mira’s CEO wrote on Instagram. “7 year journey from dorm room to acquisition.”
Although the exact terms of the deal have not been disclosed, Mira has raised around $17 million in funding before the acquisition. Two former employees said that Jony Ive, Apple’s former design chief, was once an advisor to the company.
More acquisitions to come
“Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans,” Apple told The Verge. The company is yet to announce whether it will continue Mira’s military contracts, but this seems unlikely given the company’s history.
Government records and press releases reveal that Mira holds military contracts, including a minor agreement with the US Air Force and a $702,351 agreement with the Navy. The military contract with the Air Force allows military pilots stationed at Travis Air Force Base to utilise Mira’s Prism Pro headset.
The company website states, “Mira builds the most scalable augmented reality hardware + software solutions in the market – enabling frontline workforces with communication tools and information when they need it most.”
As Apple moves to pave the way towards the consumer launch of its Vision Pro headset, the acquisition of Mira strengthens its AR portfolio in the enterprise sector. Apple will undoubtedly acquire more AR startups along the way to not only strengthen its internal team, but also reduce external competition through acquisitions.
Isa Muhammad is a writer and video game journalist covering many aspects of entertainment media including the film industry. He's steadily writing his way to the sharp end of journalism and enjoys staying informed. If he's not reading, playing video games or catching up on his favourite TV series, then he's probably writing about them.
