Magic Leap today launched their long-teased AR headset, the Magic Leap One Creator Edition, a developer-focused device priced at $2,300.

Magic Leap has been in development of an AR headset, which has garnered significant anticipation thanks to the company’s massive trove of venture funding (totaling more than $2 billion) and years of concept videos, celebrity endorsements, and guarded teasing.

Today the company has officially launched the Magic Leap One Creator Edition, available to be “hand delivered” in select cities. There doesn’t appear to be a complete list of cities where the headset is currently available, so you’ll have to check your zip code against the order page to find out if the headset is available in your area. The company maintains that regional availability is “growing daily.”

In the Magic Leap One, the company has promised a complete AR platform which can seamlessly mix digital imagery into the real world.

The headset’s launch reveals a few previously unknown specifications—including a 3 hour battery life, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage—but the company still isn’t publicly divulging key specs like resolution and field of view. Official specs indicate the following:

CPU
NVIDIA® Parker SOC; 2 Denver 2.0 64-bit cores + 4 ARM Cortex A57 64-bit cores (2 A57’s and 1 Denver accessible to applications)

GPU
NVIDIA Pascal™, 256 CUDA cores; Graphic APIs: OpenGL 4.5, Vulkan, OpenGL ES 3.3+

RAM
8GB

Storage
128 GB (actual available storage capacity 95GB)

Power
Built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery. Up to 3 hours continuous use. Battery life can vary based on use cases. Power level will be sustained when connected to an AC outlet. 45-watt USB-C Power Delivery (PD) charger

Connectivity
Bluetooth 4.2, WiFi 802.11ac/b/g/n, USB-C

The company also confirmed that prescription inserts will be available for the Magic Leap One so that those with glasses can use the headset without sacrificing sharp vision.

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Also missing from the launch reveal is any specificity regarding the headset’s purportedly novel display technology. Magic Leap is only offering up more fluff for what it has in the past referred to as “holographic,” “cinematic reality,” and “dynamic digital light field signal.”

Lightfields and brain stuff

Magic Leap One’s unique design and technology lets in natural light waves together with softly layered synthetic lightfields. Both the real world and virtual light rays initiate neural signals that pass from the retina to the visual part of the brain, creating unbelievably believable experiences.

While the headset is now available for purchase, it isn’t clear how soon the first units will arrive, but we’ll keep our eyes out for reports.

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Ben Lang
Ben is the world's most senior professional analyst solely dedicated to the XR industry, having founded Road to VR in 2011—a year before the Oculus Kickstarter sparked a resurgence that led to the modern XR landscape. He has authored more than 3,000 articles chronicling the evolution of the XR industry over more than a decade. With that unique perspective, Ben has been consistently recognized as one of the most influential voices in XR, giving keynotes and joining panel and podcast discussions at key industry events. He is a self-described "journalist and analyst, not evangelist."
  • Facts

    only Jeff Bezos kids can afford this, how will people experience it if they can’t afford to put it on

    • dk

      it’s a dev kit for dev people …MS sold 50k hololenses

      • JJ

        these ML team is so full of shit…
        Magic Leap CEO Rony Abovitz calls it a “full-blown, working consumer-grade product,” in an article posted today https://www.theverge.com/2018/8/8/17661758/magic-leap-one-mixed-reality-spatial-computing-headset-price-shipping-release-date

        So he quoted saying its a consumer product even though everything else they mention points towards dev/enterprise

        • JJ

          This*
          he’s*

        • MosBen

          You keep relying on that quote, so I did a little googling, and it seems like that quote was actually given by Abovitz directly to The Verge for that story. So it seems reasonable to assume that the next sentence, which says, “primarily aimed at artists and app developers, who can try a limited suite of experiences and develop their own apps for the Magic Leap World store” also comes from the same source.

          But look, that doesn’t mean that it will sell to developers and creatives. Maybe it’s not a good product for them either. But it is absolutely primarily targeted at developers, creatives, and people for whom $2k isn’t a ridiculous price.

          • JJ

            Those are some good points and good research. So looks like Abovitz is giving out bad information because yeah thats a quote of him saying its a consumer product that you found he did give directly to the press.

            Basically it makes no sense to start a sentance saying its a consumer grade product but end it (not in quotes) saying its really for developers.

        • dk

          nah he is also saying enthusiasts/people that would like to tinker with it could get it at some point and it’s mainly meant for “creators” https://variety.com/2018/gaming/news/rony-abovitz-interview-magic-leap-one-magic-leap-two-1202899341/

      • But why would developers pay this much, for a device that for the time being does not even really have a market? Oculus and HTC/Valve approached that in a much smarter way, IMHO.

        • MosBen

          Lots of devices are provided to developers for greater than consumer prices. MS somewhat recently permitted people to turn their consumer Xboxes into dev boxes, but a generation or two ago a dev kit for an Xbox would cost several thousand dollars.

          The idea is that developers get both access to the hardware, both physical and more access from a software standpoint, as well as a line of support to the company when they inevitably run into problems trying to get their projects working.

          • R FC

            I can buy an HTC Vive Focus development kit for around $600 and they’ll ship it to me in the UK.

            Which seems reasonable as that is another platform sorely lacking content at the moment, and the only way to generate the content is by getting it into the hands of enough developers. Its going to be a tricky run for Magic Leap?

          • The main difference between console development kits and Hololens / Magic Leap is that Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft already have an established market and target audience. I’m happy to pay for access to that market. With Hololens / Magic Leap, there’s certainly plenty of business applications where getting a device at the current price makes sense – basically, whenever you have a client in a contract-project that will cover the dev device costs for you. But most of those projects won’t become available for anyone but the companies paying for them.

        • dk

          ask the 50k companies and people that bought the hololens ….also with the hololens when u make an app for winmr u can run the app in the cliff house with the vr headsets

          • Laurence Nairne

            I’m inclined to agree, but remember Microsoft has been a household name for a long time. Magic Leap has nothing but promises and spun yarns to encourage devs to fork out for it. Don’t get me wrong, people will if they see a marked improvement on their current setups, but I don’t think they’ll see anywhere near the 50k units that Hololens managed.

            Though I’ve been wrong many times before!

          • dk

            yep it could way less I don’t know if they have a target they might be hoping for 10k and just going for ML2 as soon as possible …..but probably not

          • Laurence Nairne

            I think at this point they’re on a “make this a success or no more moneys” clause with their big time investors.

            I guess it depends on what terms the likes of Google and Alibaba were investing against – if it was a R&D investment then I guess they’ve provided a return, but if it’s on product success (which it probably is in most cases), then they’re on thin ice.

            Just doing the math, 10k * $2,300 = $23m. That’s not nearly enough to pay their running costs and much of their investors back if we assumed they’d need to make good on those investments purely in billing – that’s not realistic, but it makes for a clean example.

          • dk

            there is no way they r relaying on money from consumers ….they will get those if they reach generation 4 …2300 sounds cheap for the hardware most likely they r selling it at a loss
            ….most likely the plan is investor money until it’s a great device for 800-1000 and it won’t get there any time soon

        • Merithios

          There is a market, but not with ordinary consumers. The industry is quite interested in this kind of technology and they gladly pay this price for the devices. I had a talk with a Microsoft employee in my homeland (not USA) a year ago and he laughed, that companies are willing to pay around 200,000€ just to get a Mixed Reality concept for an idea they have (concept = no code written). Programmers who have experience in the development with the Hololens are highly valued but it’s just for industrial purposes.

          • Yeah, that’s definitely a valid business case. So basically, B2B contract-work. My concern was mainly about consumer adoption but I guess the thing is that consumer adoption isn’t something that Magic Leap or Microsoft (with Hololens) are interested in. Microsoft also has consumer HMDs, of course … and developers can apply for those devkits ;-)

          • Gato Satanista

            “…but I guess the thing is that consumer adoption isn’t something that Magic Leap or Microsoft (with Hololens) are interested in. …. ” They are interested. They just don’t have the product/technology for this market right now.

  • Molmir

    Tragic Weep.

  • Jack Liddon

    Ha!

  • HybridEnergy

    I think most people just want to know how they got this much money in investment. I’ve got a magic bridge to sell on the moon.

    • JJ

      need any help? or can you build this bridge on your own?

      • HybridEnergy

        I don’t think these investors care, they just throw money at stuff. I’ll send them a postcard pic with it.

  • Nate Vander Plas
  • VR4EVER

    So what happened to R2D2 and C3PO?
    Are they coming through my door anytime soon?!

  • Rob

    Magic leap = Star Citizen.

    • benz145

      You know, I don’t think I’ve heard that comparison before. Interesting.

      • Cless

        It isn’t a good one either. Games just take time, usualy years. And with proper funding, they can go even for longer. Games with lots of content at the level of detail they are working on (and I know people working on this project) just takes a crazy amount of time.
        While the other is a company working on a new technology that seems to be still way to underdeveloped for comercial use outside of professional settings.
        Star Citizen and Magic leap have absolutely nothing in common.

    • Mei Ling

      The difference is with Star Citizen you have the consumers losing out who also happen to be the “investors” whereas with Magic Leap the only ones losing out are the big money men and corporations who lets be honest aren’t going to be whining about it through social media trying to get refunds.

      • Rob

        You are correct, but it seems like a growing business model.

  • Mei Ling

    It’s troubling to find that after all those long years and all of that colossal investment this is the product they come up with; a mediocre AR device with marginally better FOV than the Microsoft HoloLens and absolutely nothing that differentiates it from other AR HMD’s out there(whether in development or not).

    Incredibly disappointing.

    • Sandy Wich

      AR is a cool concept but ML/Hololense never had a chance. Maybe someday when this technology is much better and cheaper it’ll get it’s time to shine. But by then imagine how far VR will be?

      It’s not unreasonable that by the time we see a quality/affordable AR headset VR will have UHD+ resolution with foveated rendering, 220 degree FOV while possibly being lighter, more comfortable and cheaper. Heck, VR may even be universally wireless by then. And that’s just the headset, much less the evolution of it’s controllers, content and community.

      It’s unfortunate but even if AR suddenly came out with a quality realistic device it would still have to compete with the VR market, which would likely crush it into the ground as it’s all the rage of HMDs right now.

      …AR seems like it could be the future as VR is limited by being a closed environment and the fact that AR can be more than just a headset. But it’s a future further down the road than I think some people want to admit.

      • Daskaling

        Everyone says AR glasses are the future. I’m no longer buying it.

        After years of development, they still haven’t come up with an app or use case that compels more than a small handful of developers to buy it.

        Most of what people come up with can be done far better on phones or VR.

        The reason why nobody is buying AR glasses is because they are just not useful.

        VR is just as expensive and far more bulkier and physically intrusive but it has managed to sell millions of devices. It sells because it is useful.

        VR is the future, not AR.

        By the time AR develops the fabled ordinary eyeglasses form factor, VR devices will have resolution which matches your eye, full fov, a pass-through camera with resolution as good as looking through clear glass, mobility, thin and lightweight goggles which are as fashionable as headphones, and software that can do everything AR promises but in a much better way, can do real games, and has the ability to skin the world and the people in it how you want.

        It will have a billion users and an entire generation which privileges their skinned virtual world over the far more dull real world.

        AR glasses, with their transparent digital objects which never look real and inability to do shadows so that it blends in naturally with the world and their pointless apps which boil down to just adding cheesy clip art to your world, will never be able to compete.

        • Xron

          It will be called mixed reality headsets, like microsofts try now.
          Well, Ar will be usefull when you’re on a vacation trip, to check which plant/animal you are seeing now, even in a shop it might work, by showing you newest sale deals (though I hope there will be add blocker for it :D)

          • hugorune

            Microsoft sells Windows and Office. Everything else, they manage to spoil.

        • dk

          see what I replied to Sandy Wich

      • dk

        u didn’t even realise that the hololens was out a while back ….50k sold is an amazing success for an expensive dev kit….and the next version is coming soon …and ML might work out too
        ang great vr and great ar is possible on the same tiny form factor headset http://lightfield-forum.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/nvidia-near-eye-light-field-displays.jpg (basic prototype) it’s not 2 different things …but it will take a while

        • Daskaling

          Microsoft is only calling it a dev kit because you can’t do anything worthwhile on it. That’s the problem with AR: it is pointless.

          When you are one of the world’s largest tech companies, and you do the massive promotions which MS has done for hololens, and you can only sell 55k units over the course of 2+ years, that is an epic failure.

          Price is no excuse. VR has a similar price tag and they sell millions of devices per year to early adopters.

          • dk

            xD lol no it’s a dev kit because it’s super expensive and it’s still not an excellent ar headset ….and yet it works amazing for what it is…excellent inside out tracking in a tiny form factor and it’s 2 years old now and was developed more than 5 years ago
            xD ar is pointless ….ar is limitless https://twitter.com/keiichiban/status/976850288949809154 just like vr is …and doing both on the same tiny form factor headset is absolutely possible
            there r thousands of developers uploading hololens demos daily it’s an epic success for the first properly working ar headset in history….and like the dk1/dk2 ….it’s just the beginning

          • Daskaling

            VR requires an expensive headset and high-end computer. It is as expensive as AR. VR is also very far from their ideal device. Yet, it still sells millions despite its price and flawed tech because it is useful.

            The reason why AR cannot generate any sales despite its high price and flawed tech is because it is not useful.

            Being able to grab a digital box or put tabs on your hand is not useful. Nobody buys that device because nobody is interested in picking up digital boxes and flipping tabs on your hand.

          • dk

            no one is buying expensive computer to get vr …..people have computers and vr costs them as much as a normal monitor starting from like $230 and up….aaand the computer is endless versatile this is not a console that u can’t use for anything else but vr

            proper ar is 2300-3000….and yes the tech is still not great that’s why it’s just for developers …..just like when vr wasn’t great and the headsets were mostly meant for developers

            putting information on your hand or anywhere in any shape and form is endlessly useful aaaand ar is much more than that aaaand again it’s not one or the other …..vr and ar r the same thing and will be possible on the same headset….what we r dealing with at the moment is temporary technological obstacles

          • Gato Satanista

            Are you really saying that mixing digital objects with the real word has no utility??? Are you crazy? You are right when you say that the ACTUAL AR generation are not useful for the general public right now. But you are very wrong in saying that the CONCEPT of AR has no practical utility.

          • Daskaling

            I am saying current AR apps are almost entirely pointless. AR glasses (see-though glasses) are therefore almost entirely pointless. And this won’t change much in the future. AR has limited value and AR glasses will never become popular the way everyone predicts. They are not replacing phones and will not outsell VR glasses (glasses with screens). In the near future, people will mostly use VR glasses not AR glasses.

          • Gato Satanista

            “I am saying current AR apps are almost entirely pointless… ”

            Partially correct. Some large enterprises are already using Hololens with custom apps in real production pipelines. But for the general public, yes, we don’t have some real usefull apps right now. But we don’t have a consumer friendly AR glasses too. Only developer editions aimed at developers (Magic Leap) or large companies (Hololens)

            “AR has limited value and AR glasses will never become popular the way everyone predicts.”

            You are guessing. Not enought practical evidence about this. Could be true or not. I am sure that the actual AR devices are far away to be popular. But I am also sure that the core concept of AR has a true potential of being popular and useful for the masses.

            What I think is: Spatial computing, being able to interact with virtual objects in the real world has tons of value. AR and VR has real potential applications on entertainment and work.

            If I had an light AR glasses that could connect to my laptop without cables, with a “Windows AR OS” running the apps that I use to work, with a large field of view, no woobling, and high definition, I would be using that glasses all day long. For work and entertainment. Will I walk on the streets with the fucking glasses on my face all day long? hell no. But if the AR glasses can easily connect to my phone, they will be on my pocket waiting for the right moment to be pulled off.

            Large screens everywhere, floating interfaces on your house, manipulating 3D digital objects integrated in the real word… We just need the right technology and device, but the concept has true potential.

  • Samos

    Their logo reminds me of the little Boo bonus ghost in Mario Kart 64… Remember, the one where you steal other people’s stuff while suddenly getting invisible.

  • Jack H

    Their multifocal display is not a light field.

  • flamaest

    Ridiculous price point for this monstrosity, pass; just like the Hololens.

    • dk

      r u an independent developer or do u work in a software company ….if not they r not meant for u

      • JJ

        I do both and its still a pass…

        • dk

          obviously not every developer will get it ….my point is ar headsets r big and expensive and not for consumers at the moment

  • hugorune

    If I would be in porn industry, I would make a girl coming into your room, sitting on your couch and teasing you. Could evolve into a true digital sex companion.

    • anony

      haha people are already way ahead of you lol. nothing crazy like with mixing your room and a girl but this will be here in no time.

      • hugorune

        Never was a big fan of Dilbert‘ „The Topper“, but actually your interpretation is pretty good. Do you realize your reply was completely void of facts and ideas?