Jio Eyes Meta’s VR Magic for Its Next Big Gadget
Meta is reportedly in discussions to license its virtual reality (VR) software, Horizon, to Reliance Industries Ltd’s (RIL’s) digital division, Jio. This VR software would be used to power a new VR device that Jio plans to develop. This move is part of Meta’s broader strategy to encourage more companies to adopt Horizon OS and establish it as a leading platform for VR, augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality devices. However, the discussions are still in the early stages and might not come to fruition.
This development comes as Jio continues to explore augmented and virtual reality products. Last October, Jio launched two new devices: a VR headset called JioDive and smart glasses named JioGlass. This follows Jio’s acquisition of a majority stake in AR and VR startup Tesseract in 2019.
Extended reality (XR), which includes both AR and VR, has a range of applications such as 3D educational tools, engineering simulations, and uses in healthcare and entertainment.
These talks also highlight the strengthening relationship between Jio Platforms and Meta. Notably, Meta purchased a 10% stake in Jio Platforms in 2020 for $5.7 billion.
The two companies have been integrating their services; for example, JioMart customers can place orders via Meta’s WhatsApp platform.