Google’s AR ambitions are not unknown to the world. The tech giant previously acquired the glasses maker North in 2020. Today, Rick Osterloh, SVP, Devices and Services at Google confirmed that the company has successfully acquired Raxium.
Raxium is a 5 years old startup based in Fremont, California. The company develops microLED displays used in AR headsets and similar devices. microLED is an emerging technology that has tremendous potential, but most of its applications are for large, expensive screens, such as wall-mounted signage.
The MicroLED startup is yet to launch any product, but it has reportedly developed a more efficient manufacturing technique for MicroLED that may reduce production costs. MicroLEDs have the potential to be used in devices like smart glasses, as well as in VR.
Google’s acquisition of Raxium indicates that the company is seriously dedicated to developing the components required to make AR devices a reality.
The Information was the first to break the news of this acquisition and reported that Google has paid $1 billion to buy the microLED startup. The Information noted that Raxium is working on “monolithic integration” for microLEDs, which means manufacturing them with the same kind of silicon that is used for most processors to reduce the price down.
Google is not a newcomer to the AR segment. The company was in fact one of the first to develop a commercial AR device with Google Glass. However, Google Glass failed to impress the consumers and received a strong backlash.
It appears that all the big names in the tech industry are focused on entering the AR segment. Meta and Apple have made similar acquisitions, and Microsoft has already delivered an augmented reality device with HoloLens. Snapchat is also reported to be investing heavily to develop its own AR glasses.
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