Magic Leap 1
| Magic Leap One (Magic Leap 1) | |
|---|---|
| Basic Info | |
| VR/AR | Augmented Reality |
| Type | Head-mounted display |
| Subtype | Tethered AR |
| Platform | Lumin OS |
| Creator | Magic Leap |
| Developer | Magic Leap |
| Manufacturer | Magic Leap |
| Announcement Date | December 2017 |
| Release Date | August 8, 2018 |
| Price | $2,295 (Creator Edition) |
| Website | https://www.magicleap.com/ (legacy) |
| Versions | Magic Leap One Creator Edition |
| Requires | Lightpack compute unit (included) |
| Predecessor | None |
| Successor | Magic Leap 2 |
| System | |
| Operating System | Lumin OS |
| Chipset | NVIDIA Tegra X2 |
| CPU | NVIDIA Denver 2.0 (2 cores) + ARM Cortex A57 (4 cores) |
| GPU | NVIDIA Pascal (256 CUDA cores) |
| Storage | |
| Storage | 128GB (~95GB available) |
| Memory | 8GB (4GB available to apps) |
| SD Card Slot | No |
| Display | |
| Display | Dual LCOS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon) |
| Subpixel Layout | N/A |
| Peak Brightness | Not specified |
| Resolution | 1280 × 960 per eye |
| Pixel Density | ~25 PPD |
| Refresh Rate | 122Hz |
| Persistence | Low persistence |
| Image | |
| Field of View | 40° diagonal (50° horizontal claimed by some measurements) |
| Horizontal FoV | ~40° |
| Vertical FoV | ~30° |
| Average Pixel Density | ~25 PPD |
| Peak Pixel Density | ~25 PPD |
| Foveated Rendering | No |
| Optics | |
| Optics | Diffractive waveguide (6-layer) |
| Ocularity | Binocular |
| IPD Range | ~60-72mm |
| Adjustable Diopter | No (prescription inserts available) |
| Passthrough | Native see-through (AR glasses) |
| Tracking | |
| Tracking | 6DoF inside-out (SLAM) |
| Tracking Frequency | N/A |
| Base Stations | None required |
| Eye Tracking | Yes (basic) |
| Face Tracking | No |
| Hand Tracking | Yes (added via update) |
| Body Tracking | No |
| Rotational Tracking | Yes |
| Positional Tracking | Yes |
| Update Rate | 122Hz |
| Tracking Volume | Room-scale |
| Play Space | Mobile AR |
| Latency | <25ms |
| Audio | |
| Audio | Onboard speakers + 3.5mm jack |
| Microphone | Yes |
| 3.5mm Audio Jack | Yes |
| Camera | Multiple tracking/scene cameras |
| Connectivity | |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.2, USB-C |
| Ports | USB-C (on Lightpack) |
| Wired Video | No |
| Wireless Video | No |
| WiFi | Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 4.2 |
| Power | Lightpack battery |
| Battery Capacity | Not specified |
| Battery Life | 3-3.5 hours |
| Charge Time | ~2 hours |
| Device | |
| Dimensions | Headset: adjustable sizes; Lightpack: ~160mm diameter |
| Weight | Headset: 316g; Lightpack: 415g |
| Material | Aluminum, plastic |
| Headstrap | Adjustable forehead band + rear support |
| Haptics | Controller haptics |
| Color | Black |
| Sensors | Multiple world cameras, eye tracking cameras, depth sensor |
| Input | Control controller (6DoF), hand tracking, voice |
| Compliance | FCC, CE |
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The Magic Leap One (also known as Magic Leap 1) is an augmented reality head-mounted display developed by Magic Leap, a secretive Florida-based company that raised over $2.6 billion in funding before revealing its product. Announced in December 2017 with a dramatic whale video demonstration and released on August 8, 2018 for $2,295 as the "Creator Edition," the Magic Leap One was marketed to developers and enterprise users as a revolutionary spatial computing platform. The system consisted of three components: the Lightwear headset with diffractive waveguide displays, the Lightpack waist-worn compute unit powered by an NVIDIA Tegra X2 processor, and the Control 6DoF handheld controller. Despite enormous hype and investment, the Magic Leap One's 40° diagonal field of view and limited commercial applications led to disappointing sales. Cloud services and support for Magic Leap 1 ended on December 31, 2024.
History and Development
Secretive Development
Magic Leap mystique:
- Founded 2010 by Rony Abovitz
- Over $2.6 billion raised
- Minimal public demonstrations
- "Mixed reality" terminology
- Revolutionary claims
Hype and Funding
Unprecedented investment:
- Google led Series B ($542M, 2014)
- Alibaba led Series C ($793M, 2016)
- Series D ($502M, 2017)
- Highest-funded AR startup
"Leap" Announcement
December 2017 reveal:
- Product finally shown
- "Lightwear" headset revealed
- 2018 availability promised
- Developer/creator focus
August 2018 Launch
Creator Edition release:
- $2,295 price point
- Limited US cities initially
- AT&T partnership
- LiftOff delivery service
Design Philosophy
Spatial Computing
Magic Leap vision:
- Digital objects in physical world
- Persistent spatial content
- Natural interaction
- "Magic" experiences
Three-Component System
Modular architecture:
- Lightwear: Display headset
- Lightpack: Compute unit (waist)
- Control: 6DoF controller
- Tethered design
Creator Focus
Target audience:
- Developers and creators
- Enterprise exploration
- Not general consumer
- Platform building
Display Technology
Diffractive Waveguide
Layered optical system:
- 6 waveguide layers
- Different focal planes
- Variable focus depth
- Complex manufacturing
LCOS Displays
Projection system:
- Resolution: 1280 × 960 per eye
- Type: Liquid Crystal on Silicon
- Refresh: 122Hz
- Compact projectors
Field of View
Disappointing specification:
- ~40° diagonal (claimed)
- ~50° horizontal (some measurements)
- Smaller than HoloLens 1
- Major criticism point
Visual Quality
Mixed reviews:
- Good color
- Reasonable brightness
- FOV limitations
- Occasional artifacts
Lightwear Headset
Physical Design
Distinctive appearance:
- Goggle-like form
- Two size options
- Adjustable fit
- 316 grams
Optics Housing
Complex assembly:
- Multiple cameras
- Waveguide display
- Sensors
- Premium materials
Comfort
Wearability:
- Forehead and rear support
- Weight distributed
- Adjustable sizing
- Extended wear possible
Lightpack Compute
Waist-Worn Design
Separate compute:
- Worn on belt/pocket
- Tether to headset
- Processing power
- Battery included
NVIDIA Tegra X2
Processing power:
- CPU: Denver 2.0 + Cortex A57 (6 cores)
- GPU: Pascal (256 CUDA cores)
- RAM: 8GB (4GB app-available)
- Storage: 128GB
Battery
Power system:
- Integrated battery
- 3-3.5 hours runtime
- USB-C charging
- Hot-swap possible
Control Controller
6DoF Tracked
Full motion controller:
- Positional tracking
- Rotational tracking
- Touchpad
- Trigger button
Input Features
Controller capabilities:
- Haptic feedback
- Touchpad gestures
- Home button
- LED indicators
Tracking System
SLAM-Based
Inside-out tracking:
- Multiple cameras
- Scene understanding
- Environmental mapping
- 6DoF positioning
Spatial Mapping
World understanding:
- Surface detection
- Object recognition
- Spatial anchors
- Persistent content
Hand Tracking
Added via update:
- Camera-based tracking
- Gesture recognition
- Controller alternative
- Limited initially
Eye Tracking
Basic implementation:
- Presence detection
- Gaze estimation
- Limited applications
- Future potential
Audio
Integrated Speakers
Spatial audio:
- Onboard speakers
- Spatial positioning
- Environmental awareness
- Good quality
3.5mm Jack
Headphone option:
- Private listening
- Better audio quality
- Professional use
Software Platform
Lumin OS
Custom operating system:
- Magic Leap developed
- Spatial app framework
- Developer tools
- Regular updates
Lumin SDK
Development platform:
- Unity integration
- Unreal support
- Magic Leap APIs
- Spatial computing tools
Magic Leap World
App store:
- Limited catalog
- Enterprise apps
- Entertainment
- Developer tools
Applications
Developer Showcase
Early experiences:
- Demos and prototypes
- Enterprise experiments
- Educational content
- Creative tools
Enterprise Focus (Later)
Pivot to business:
- Healthcare visualization
- Industrial design
- Training applications
- Retail experiences
Commercial Reception
Underwhelming Launch
Market response:
- FOV disappointment
- High price criticism
- Limited content
- Hype vs. reality
Sales Challenges
Commercial struggles:
- Estimated 6,000 units first 6 months
- Far below projections
- Enterprise pivot required
- Layoffs followed
Developer Feedback
Mixed reception:
- Tracking quality praised
- Display quality good
- FOV major limitation
- Platform potential
End of Life
December 2024
Service termination:
- Cloud services ended
- Core functionality ceased
- Hardware non-functional
- 6-year product lifecycle
Magic Leap 2 Successor
Enterprise evolution:
- Improved specifications
- Pure enterprise focus
- Smaller FOV still
- Continued development
Comparison with HoloLens 1
| Feature | Magic Leap One | Microsoft HoloLens 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2,295 | $3,000 |
| Release | August 2018 | March 2016 |
| FOV | ~40° diagonal | ~35° diagonal |
| Resolution/eye | 1280×960 | 1280×720 |
| Form Factor | Goggles + waist pack | Self-contained headset |
| Weight | 316g + 415g | 579g |
| Computing | Tegra X2 (external) | HPU (internal) |
Legacy
Technology Validation
Industry contributions:
- Waveguide advancement
- Spatial computing concepts
- Funding model demonstration
- AR awareness
Cautionary Tale
Industry lessons:
- Hype management importance
- FOV expectations
- Consumer vs. enterprise
- Sustainable business models
Technical Specifications Summary
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Display | LCOS waveguide, 1280 × 960 per eye |
| FOV | ~40° diagonal |
| Refresh Rate | 122Hz |
| Processor | NVIDIA Tegra X2 |
| Memory | 8GB (4GB app available) |
| Storage | 128GB (~95GB available) |
| Tracking | 6DoF SLAM (inside-out) |
| Controller | 6DoF Control |
| Audio | Integrated + 3.5mm jack |
| Battery | 3-3.5 hours |
| Weight | 316g (headset) + 415g (Lightpack) |
| Price | $2,295 |
| Status | Discontinued (December 2024) |