Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has reportedly made a move towards its aim of providing an augmented reality headset in 2020 with the acquisition of a Canadian start-up firm, according to website techcrunch.com.
The technology news site reported that the US tech giant has acquired Vrvana, the maker of an augmented reality headset called Totem, for about US$30mln, citing two unnamed sources.
It noted that the only product that Vrvana shows off on its website is the unreleased Totem headset, which it says is an “extended reality” device utilising key technologies from both AR and virtual reality to allow for both experiences on a single headset.
Techcrunch pointed out that Apple also has made other acquisitions that underscore its interest in developing the technology that powers the AR hardware.
In June, Apple acquired SMI, an eye-tracking firm that was working on solutions for VR and AR headsets, while other AR and VR-related acquisitions have included Flyby Media, metaio, Emotient, and Faceshift.
TechCrunch said Apple declined to comment on its report, but did not deny the story.
In pre-market trading in New York, Apple shares were 0.3% higher at US$173.57.