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takyon writes:

Google is reportedly acquiring Lytro, a company that made light field cameras and hoped to pivot to virtual reality video capture. Google appears to have gotten a good (or at least cheap) deal:

Multiple sources tell us that Google is acquiring Lytro, the imaging startup that began as a ground-breaking camera company for consumers before pivoting to use its depth-data, light-field technology in VR.

One source described the deal as an "asset sale" with Lytro going for no more than $40 million. Another source said the price was even lower: $25 million. A third source tells us that not all employees are coming over with the company's technology: some have already received severance and parted ways with the company, and others have simply left. Assets would presumably also include Lytro's 59 patents related to light-field and other digital imaging technology.

The sale would be far from a big win for Lytro and its backers. The startup has raised just over $200 million in funding and was valued at around $360 million after its last round in 2017, according to data from PitchBook.

Despite a lot of hype, Lytro had little success with its expensive, ergonomically challenged, and low resolution light field cameras for consumers.

Also at 9to5Google and Engadget.

Related: LinkedIn's Top 10 Silicon Valley Startups for 'Talent Brand' - Note: Both Lytro and Theranos are on the list.
A Pocket Camera with Many Eyes - Inside the Development of Light

Original Submission

1. "takyon" - https://soylentnews.org/~takyon/
2. "reportedly" - https://techcrunch.com/2018/03/20/sources-google-is-buying-lytro-for-about-40m/
3. "Lytro" - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lytro
4. "light field cameras" - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light-field_camera
5. "Lytro" - http://lytro.com/
6. "59 patents" - https://patents.google.com/?assignee=lytro&oq=lytro
7. "data from PitchBook" - https://my.pitchbook.com/profile/13330-18/company/profile#deal-history
8. "had little success" - https://www.imaging-resource.com/news/2016/04/05/well-duh-lytro-finally-realizes-nobody-wants-refocusable-low-res-cameras
9. "9to5Google" - https://9to5google.com/2018/03/20/google-acquiring-lytro-rumor-light-field-vr/
10. "Engadget" - https://www.engadget.com/2018/03/21/google-lytro-acquisition-rumor/
11. "LinkedIn's Top 10 Silicon Valley Startups for 'Talent Brand'" - https://soylentnews.org/article.pl?sid=14/10/05/2054242
12. "Theranos" - https://soylentnews.org/article.pl?sid=18/03/15/020221
13. "A Pocket Camera with Many Eyes - Inside the Development of Light" - https://soylentnews.org/article.pl?sid=16/10/27/0329228
14. "Original Submission" - https://soylentnews.org/submit.pl?op=viewsub&subid=25494

printed from SoylentNews, Google Reportedly Acquires Lytro, Which Made Refocusable Light Field Cameras on 2024-05-10 06:43:04