Magic Leap invited Pitchfork to its studio, and the results are maddening
Last week, Magic Leap CEO Rony Abovitz cryptically promised “fun and cool stuff” from the secretive augmented reality startup. Today, we learned what that is: an interactive music experience co-designed by the band Sigur Rós, which Magic Leap invited Pitchfork reporter Marc Hogan to try. Hogan’s resulting essay offers an interesting look at Magic Leap’s entertainment ambitions, as well as an evocative writeup of the experience. It is also deeply frustrating.
Magic Leap tightly controls reporting with strict nondisclosure agreements, which means that Pitchfork can’t say anything about the company’s elusive hardware. A few details slip in: the setup recognizes hand gestures, and objects adapt to shapes in the environment. There’s a...