Apple reportedly set to acquire NextVR

It is no secret that Apple is working on mixed reality technology and has been stocking up on IP and buying out smaller companies to further its goals. This year, Apple is reportedly adding another piece to the puzzle, with sources indicating that it will be buying NextVR.

NextVR is a streaming provider that aims to bring sports and entertainment to virtual reality. It already has partnerships with leagues like the NFL, NBA and WWE for streaming content and likely had other deals in the works, which may now be on hold while the Apple acquisition details get hammered out.

The report comes from sources speaking with 9to5Mac, which claims that NextVR employees are being informed that they need to relocate from San Diego due to changes in the company. We don’t know how much Apple will be paying for NextVR, but the company is estimated to be worth more than $100 million.

This acquisition would be another step in Apple’s lofty VR and AR goals. Previous acquisitions have focused on hardware development, whereas NextVR signals that Apple is beginning to think about its content library too, all in time to launch an AR wearable in 2022.

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KitGuru Says: Streaming entertainment is going to be a big aspect of VR/AR in the future, so this is an acquisition that makes good sense for Apple. We’ll keep an eye out for any updates but for now, nothing is officially announced.

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