Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality seem to be competitive spaces in technology at the moment, and for those interested in getting their hands on something that works off of these technologies, that’s a good thing. It will cause the companies developing VR/AR hardware and software to reach for higher goals, and strive for better experiences in attempts to capture more of the market, which at the time is still largely untouched. The competition is very much there in every sense of the word, as Executive Director of Global Marketing for HTC and Valve’s Vive headset, Jeff Gattis, has recently announced he has left HTC following little more than a year with the company to join on at Magic Leap.
Magic Leap is a company who is working on technology using augmented reality, but in a way that should end up appealing to a much wider range of consumers, while HTC’s Vive headset is going to be geared heavily towards gamers. Jeff is now Head of Product Marketing at Magic Leap and seems to be fairly enthusiastic about the switch. Although there are still no details on an exact date for Magic Leap’s product, Gattis states that he was “surprised at how far along the technology is.” This could mean Magic Leap will have something ready for commercial availability soon, or at the least that they’re almost ready to begin commercial production.
Gattis also cited the quality of what Magic Leap was doing, so there’s reason to be excited about what they will end up having to offer if you’re even remotely interested in AR. According to Gattis, he believes that Magic Leap’s creation has the potential to make some rather huge, and life altering changes, stating that “It’s not just about creating a great gaming device, but actually doing something that can potentially change the world.” Right now, much of Magic leap’s progress is kept under wraps, save for a recent demo of what is said to be showing Magic Leap working in its current state and shot through the tech, as well as a concept video. HTC’s Vive on the other hand has been through numerous hands-on trials with plenty of the public at media events throughout the country, and there have been quite a few videos showcasing what the technology is capable of. While Gattis was likely a great addition to the team at HTC, Gattis still believes that HTC will have no trouble with what they’re own development even with his recent departure. If you’re interested in seeing Magic Leap’s progress, you can check out the demo video below.