Apple acquires California-based VR startup NextVR; a report in April said the deal is valued at around $100M
- NextVR provides virtual-reality sports content to headsets — Apple developing virtual reality, augmented reality headsets — Apple Inc. confirmed it acquired NextVR …
The purchase extends a decade-long pattern: Apple previously bought Vrvana, the Canadian AR headset maker, for $30M (the Vrvana deal), motion-capture firm Faceshift, and Flyby Media as part of an AR/VR research team that already numbered in the hundreds. NextVR adds the piece those deals lacked — live, rights-cleared content that gives a future headset something to show.
First-order effects
NextVR's live-sports VR pipeline and team move inside Apple, converting an independent content supplier into in-house capability for the VR/AR headsets Apple is reported to be developing.
The roughly $100M price — modest against Apple's scale but well above NextVR's last private round — ends the startup's run as a standalone vendor serving third-party headsets.
Second-order effects
Rival headset makers lose one of the few proven sources of premium live VR sports content, pushing them toward their own original productions or exclusivity fights with leagues and broadcasters.
Other VR content startups with rights relationships become more attractive acquisition targets, as buyers now know Apple will pay a premium for content-plus-talent bundles rather than hardware alone.
Third-order effects
If the pattern holds, immersive-content supply consolidates around platform owners who can bundle headsets, software, and exclusive live programming — leaving independent VR studios to choose between selling early or competing against vertically integrated rivals.
Content-rights holders gain leverage either way: as platforms bid for exclusive VR feeds, live sports becomes a differentiator for headset adoption much as it was for earlier media platforms.
The trend: Apple is assembling a headset business through serial small acquisitions — optics and tracking from Vrvana and Faceshift, spatial sensing from Flyby Media, and now live content from NextVR — rather than building each layer internally.
Apple introduced ARKit in 2017 and developers still haven't found a path towards consumer success. As Apple pushes closer to AR hardware launches, Apple might be realizing the growing importance of VR to their overall strategy. https://techcrunch.com/...
@apollozac
Zac Hall on x
In April we reported that Apple was in talks to acquire NextVR, based on sources familiar with the discussions. https://9to5mac.com/... Now NextVR has taken its service offline and says it's “heading in a new direction” 🤔 https://twitter.com/...
@scobleizer
Robert Scoble on x
@thedohappydad @BrianRoemmele It does not. NextVR's media will work just fine in AR glasses. Plus Apple can help with the tech. It was bought for the business relationships. Can you setup a camera at a sport event? No. Not allowed.
@tanayj
Tanay Jaipuria on x
Apple acquires NextVR for a rumored $100M. Was just thinking that COVID-19 might accelerate VR streaming of live events with physical venues at much-reduced capacities over next 12-18 mo. Will be interesting to see what direction Apple takes with this. https://www.bloomberg.com/.…
@kevindsamuel
@kevindsamuel on x
Icing on the cake may not be expertise in VR. NextVR also holds patented technology that upscales video streams & uses this technology to support high quality video streams of music and sporting events to VR headsets. NextVR holds over 40 technology patents. Apple M&A. https://tw…
@anshelsag
Anshel Sag on x
@ianfogg42 I think this is really for all the core IP and expertise that they delivered in streaming and compressing holographic video data. I think Apple can make it even better and enable it for both AR and VR. NextVR had AR prototypes running on Magic Leap.
@chrisleephd
Christopher Lee on x
Interesting. NextVR has partnerships with the NBA, Fox Sports, etc. https://twitter.com/...
@chrismaddern
Chris Maddern on x
Apple VR acquisition. There has never been a stronger sign that VR will become mainstream. https://www.bloomberg.com/...
@joannastern
Joanna Stern on x
We keep collecting pieces of this puzzle yet seem to have no idea what the final thing will look like... https://twitter.com/...
@reneritchie
Rene Ritchie on x
“We were going to use it all to make Apple transit less monotonous. Basically, look out the window, no more highway, now you're in Jurassic Park! But, shelter at home, sooooo... Sponge Bob Living Room?” - Not an actual quote! https://twitter.com/...
@joannastern
Joanna Stern on x
By that, I mean, the AR apps are being built in front of our eyes. The companies keep being acquired. But what will the ultimate Apple AR / VR pitch be?
@apollozac
Zac Hall on x
Apple has confirmed the acquisition to @technology APPLE ACQUIRES VIRTUAL REALITY CONTENT COMPANY NEXTVR https://twitter.com/...
@brianroemmele
Brian Roemmele on x
“Apple acquires NextVR, a live event streaming AR/VR company being sold for ~$100M” Precisely as the amazing @Scobleizer predicted in our conversations. Apple is playing the long game in spacial computing. https://9to5mac.com/...
@markgurman
Mark Gurman on x
New story: Apple has acquired NextVR virtual reality content and broadcasting company, which shut down this week, it confirmed. It's likely another step toward Apple's future AR and VR headsets. https://www.bloomberg.com/...