Apple, LG Invest in eMagin for AR and VR Headset Microdisplays

As technologies such as virtual and augmented reality go major attractions for electronic companies, they are looking to move away from Google Cardboard-style headsets and instead, moving towards standalone wearables. In a contempo development, eMagin, the manufacturer of microdisplays which are used for military and medical applications, has reaped an investment of $10 1000000 from Apple, LG, and Valve.

As per the documents filed by eMagin with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the "strategic agreements multiple Tier Ane" firms are aimed at the pattern and mass production of pocket-size displays for consumer-centric AR and VR headsets. The tech giants made this investment through the issuance of new stocks, reports RoadToVR.

Apple, LG, and Valve Invest in Microdisplay Startup eMagin for AR and VR Headset Displays

The flagship production offered by eMagin is an OLED microdisplay with a resolution of 2048×2048 pixels (2K). The microdisplay features a fill gene of 70 percent, which as per the visitor can eliminate "screen door outcome" or pixel noise witnessed on contemporary headsets. As per eMagin'southward website, displays tin can go equally bright as 500 nits, simply the filing with SEC reflect much brighter displays with upwardly to 5,300 nits. This will, as per the company, surpass the need of headsets. With displays as bright every bit these, we might not even require bulky headsets for opaque VR viewing and the purpose could be solved using merely glasses.

Lately, there have been several speculations about Apple'southward standalone AR headset which is likely to launch in 2019 and might characteristic a defended operating system chosen rOS. So, this investment adds fuel to the rumors about Apple'due south interest in headsets. The visitor is already cyberbanking big on AR technology and recently updated ARKit suite to version i.5 for developers to make AR applications in iOS 11.iii more than engaging and user-friendly.

Meanwhile, LG and Steam's creator Valve are working together to create a VR headset which is well-nigh likely to exist geared towards an improved VR gaming experience. The prospects of Apple tree's union with these ii companies is hazy every bit of now only as per the filing, the three companies seemed to have entered some sort of a strategic agreement to create adequate demand for eMagin's display engineering to keep prices optimal.