Mysterious augmented reality firm Magic Leap reveals first headset

Augmented reality start-up Magic Leap has officially unveiled its first piece of hardware, the Magic Leap One headset.

The Florida-based firm has been the subject of intrigue for years, as it has received large levels of funding from high profile investors without releasing any products, until now.

Set for release in 2018, Magic Leap One combines a headset/smartglasses set-up with a motion controller, powered by a small computer that attaches to a user’s side during use.

The sensor-loaded headset will be able to scan the surrounding environment and place holograms, notifications and gaming content into the real world.

This also extends to video content, with users able to open multiple virtual screens at once and watch content from YouTube and other sources from inside the headset.

More details on the launch and content likely to be available on the Magic Leap One are still to be revealed by the company, but the firm has said it will launch a Creator Portal for developers in the new year, enabling them to begin building content that will work on the platform.

Apple has recently began show a huge amount of interest in augmented reality, suggesting AR and not virtual reality (VR) will be the next big trend in the industry.

The initial reaction to Magic Leap’s reveal however has drawn a mixed response from the tech world.

However, full judgment will have to be reserved until the headset is tested for the first time, a timeline for which is yet to be disclosed by the US firm.