Magic Leap is Google's new mystery partner for XR glasses

Do you remember the minor "craze" around XR glasses or glasses for augmented reality? The representatives of the technology were the devices Google Glass and Magic Leap and at the same time a reminder that the technology was not yet mature for use.

Apparently, the companies have not yet given up and are convinced that now is the right moment to use the currently uncompetitive area to their advantage. Google and Magic Leap have entered into a "multifaceted strategic technology partnership" aimed at "driving the future of the XR ecosystem through a unique and innovative product offering." Lots of PR talk and very little concrete information.

It's not entirely clear what the deal entails, but the two companies boasted in a press release that they will leverage Magic Leap's expertise in optics and manufacturing, a combination that should allow them to build "highly accurate XR glasses with an incredibly high rate of return and quality". Again, a lot of words, and let's remember that Magic Leap products have always been very expensive, always above 2000 US dollars.

Many leading tech companies pursuing lightweight XR or VR glasses reportedly find their optical components difficult and especially expensive to manufacture, so most are just testing the technology while working out these manufacturing issues.

Only time will tell what will come out of the new partnership. Google made another similar deal with Samsung and Qualcomm last year, but since then we haven't gotten any word on the production of similar glasses. Rumors suggest that perhaps this could happen at the launch of new foldable phones in the month of July.