Apple acquires AR startup Vrvana for $30M

Apple recently acquired an augmented reality-based startup called Vrvana, reports TechCrunch. The deal was reported to be around $30 million.

Vrvana created mixed-reality headset named Totem, but it never released. The headset was designed to merge AR and virtual reality (VR) technologies in a single device, combining full VR capabilities with pass-through cameras to enable screen-based augmented reality features.

A number of Vrvana's employees have joined Apple's team in Cupertino. While the startup's website is still live, it has been silent on the social media since August.

Vrvana was focusing on enterprise clients with its Totem headset but CEO Bertrand Nepveu told Tom's Hardware that it was too expensive to produce to reach a consumer-friendly price-point - Apple's scale may well change that, however.

Apple is already in the market for mobile AR, having launched its ARKit toolset earlier this year. Totem's technology can be pushed into a future Apple device given the rumors that the company is working on some kind of augmented reality headset or smart glasses product, which would launch in 2020.