Field Of View — Digest #1
A monthly-ish newsletter of curated AR/VR news
Hello (virtual) world! Since launching Augmentor, I’m regularly bookmarking links to stay on top of the latest trends and investment news in immersive tech. Then I found Revue an amazing tool that makes it ridiculously simple to curate and compile those links into an easy-to-manage newsletter.
So here’s the first issue of Field Of View. I’d love to know what you think. Below are the main links, but you can subscribe here to get the newsletter straight to your inbox.
Viewpoints
Investing in Europe’s Immersive Tech Sector
What does Europe need to do to build a successful VR/AR ecosystem? Seedcamp launch the Augmentor program in partnership with the Digital Catapult and HTC.
Has Facebook slipped up with VR?
It’s been a brutal few weeks for Facebook’s virtual reality ambitions. Dave Lee ponders whether Mark Zuckerberg has possibly made a rare miscalculation.
Reality, only better. The promise of AR
Replacing the real world with a virtual one is a neat trick. This post explores why combining the two could be more useful.
On the Hunt for VR’s Killer App with Sony
One of several interviews on the hunt for “VR’s killer app”, this time with Sony’s Head of PlayStation Magic Lab.
Fundraising & Acquisitions
Magic Leap acquires 3D division of Dacuda in Zurich
Magic Leap, the augmented reality startup that has raised $1.4 billion in funding but has yet to release a product, has made an acquisition to expand its work.
8i Announces $27 Million Series B Funding to Bring Holograms to Consumers with New Mixed Reality App “Holo”
8i, a company that develops holographic technology for virtual and augmented reality, today announced a US$27 million Series B round of funding.
Rec Room Dev Raises $5 Million To Keep Social VR Free, Updates Teased
Rec Room developer Against Gravity today announced the closure of a $5 million seed funding round, along with teasing new updates for the app.
Announcing SubVRsive’s Series A Funding and New CEO
SubVRsive hires a new CEO and announces that WPP has invested $4M as sole participant in their Series A investment.
Zappar Gets $3.75 Million To Help Make Developing Mobile AR Easier
Zappar, a company that providers tools for others to develop augmented reality smartphone apps has raised $3.75 million.
Virtualitics Raises $3M For AR/VR/AI Startup
Pasadena-based Virtualitics, a new startup which provides data visualization in VR/AR environments raises $3m.
Lytro pursues 360-degree video and cinematic tools with $60M Series D Ever-shifting camera tech company Lytro has raised major cash to continue development and deployment of its cinema-level camera systems.
Bigscreen Raises $3 Million To Succeed Where Envelop Failed
Bigscreen announced seed funding to the tune of $3 million led by Andreessen Horowitz.
News & Trends
Europe’s virtual reality sector has grown to nearly 300 companies Europe’s booming virtual reality ecosystem now consists of nearly 300 companies. Here’s the first European Virtual Reality landscape mapping from The Venture Reality Fund & LucidWeb.
Facebook CEO Asks for Investor Patience on VR
On a recent earnings call, Zuckerberg asked for “the patience of the investor community” and reminds them of his belief in Oculus as a long term bet.
ABI Research Predicts VR HMD Shipments Should Hit 110 Million by 2021
ABI Research released its Augmented and Virtual Reality Devices and Enterprise Verticals report.
Popularity of Sony’s PlayStation VR Surprises Even the Company
Sony’s internal goal was to sell one million of the headsets in its first six months, by mid-April.
Apple CEO Tim Cook Continues to Set the Stage for Rumored AR Play
On a recent trip to Europe, Tim Cook has once again affirmed his belief in the significance of augmented reality tech.
Magic Leap Engineers ‘scrambling’ to Create Working Prototype for Major Board Meeting
Magic Leap, the startup valued at $4.5 billion USD has not yet shown or released a product.
Get in touch
Did I miss anything? Get in touch if you’d like to contribute or suggest any improvements to the Field Of View digest. Please forward on to anyone you know who might be interested.
