LG, Meta announce collaboration to develop next generation XR technology

LG and Meta on Wednesday announced a strategic collaboration focused on extended reality (XR) devices and technologies. Meta has previously launched Meta Quest virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality headsets that are capable of providing VR and augmented reality (AR) experiences. Meanwhile, LG created an XR business unit within the home entertainment division to focus on building mixed-reality enabled devices in late 2023. The news came as the CEOs of both the companies were reportedly scheduled to meet to discuss the development. A new mixed reality headset that could be unveiled by Facebook’s parent company in 2025.

The South Korean firm announced the partnership in a prepared statement on Wednesday. “LG believes that by bringing together Meta’s platform with its content/service capabilities from its TV business, a unique ecosystem can be created in the XR domain, one of the company’s new business areas. Furthermore, the fusion of Meta’s diverse core technological elements with LG’s cutting-edge product and quality capabilities promises significant synergy in next-generation XR device development.

The announcement also said that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg met with LG Electronics CEO William Cho and LG Electronics President of Home Entertainment Park Hyeong-sei at the LG Twin Towers in Yeouido, Seoul. Both sides discussed business strategies and ideas for next generation XR device development. LG leadership also tried out the Meta Quest 3 headset and Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses and expressed interest in the company’s large language model (LLM) stack as well as its on-device AI integration.

It appears that LG will expand its hardware and product development efficiency, while the Meta helps with key technology inclusion. A report suggests that both the tech giants have been working together on the Meta Quest Pro 2 for quite some time and the headset could be launched in 2025. At the moment, details about the partnership are not known and whether both the companies will offer their expertise and help each other in creating different products or whether they will also create co-branded devices is yet to be seen.

According to a Reuters report, Zuckerberg is currently on a tour of Asia and reached South Korea on Tuesday. During his stay, he is expected to meet President Yoon Suk Yeol and other leaders in the technology sector. This is reportedly his first known visit to the country in ten years. He is also expected to visit Japan and India during this visit.