Magic Leap is one of the biggest names in the mixed reality industry right now. That’s partially because of their high-quality MR headsets. It’s also because they do so much to support development of MR projects.
Every year, the Independent Creator Program gives thousands of dollars as well as resources and support to up-and-coming developers. In case that wasn’t enough, the company recently announced that it will be giving 500 units to Unreal Developers.
They’re also partnering with Japanese telecommunications group DOCOMO to experiment with spatial computing and immersive media in 5G.
Magic Leap recently announced the giveaway via blog post. However, they won’t be tossing MR headsets out of the back of a moving vehicle. The giveaway is the result of a new partnership with Unreal Engine.
Unreal Engine is a suite of development tools that allows developers to create digital experiences with minimal overhead. It also gives developers a networking community and a place to sell their games, media, and apps.
Unreal Engine is operated by the group Epic Games, which recently announced “Epic MegaGrants.” The grant program plans to give away some US$100M.
Magic Leap is giving away the headsets because they have partnered with Unreal in the Epic MegaGrants program. Interested developers can apply at that previous link and check a box at the bottom of the application to apply for an MR headset in addition to their grant.
Anyone using Unreal in basically any capacity is eligible to apply for the grant. Sets of individuals listed include “entertainment creators, game developers, enterprise professionals, students, educators, and tools developers.”
Similarly, most of us think first of games when we think of Unreal but it’s used for a lot more than that — and a lot more than that can win the grant. Eligible projects include games, media, entertainment, education, tools, and open source development.
Further, it’s not stated anywhere that the project needs to be in mixed reality to apply or to be eligible for the MR headsets. While the end product may not be compatible with Magic Leap, using the MR headset can make for design than using other tools.
That’s not all that the folks at Magic Leap have been up to. They also recently announced a new partnership with DOCOMO. If you haven’t heard of DOCOMO, it doesn’t mean that you’re out of the loop. They’re a Japanese telecommunications firm.
So, what would an MR company want to do with a Japanese telecommunications firm? If you have heard of DOCOMO before it’s probably because they’re pioneering 5G, the next generation of mobile internet.
The partnership involves Magic Leap getting its hands on 5G tech as well as US$280M in investments. In return, DOCOMO provides its customers with experimental spatial computing and immersive media.
Magic Leap is still registered as a start up but they must be the busiest start up in the world. They’re bringing their tech to you through grant programs and bringing it to the next level with industry partners. It’s no wonder that we keep seeing and expecting to see exciting things from them.
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