In 2020, Meta’s $5.7 billion investment in Jio Platforms Limited, a subsidiary of Reliance Industries Limited, made Facebook the largest minority shareholder in the company.
Reliance Jio is reportedly in talks with Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, to license its virtual reality software, Horizon. This strategic partnership (via The Information) is expected to leverage Meta’s advanced VR capabilities to enhance Jio’s forthcoming VR device, positioning it as a formidable contender in the AR/VR market.
Reliance Jio, on the other hand, has been making significant strides in the AR/VR domain. The company introduced the JioDive VR headset in 2023, providing users with a 360-degree stadium-like viewing experience for viewing cricket matches. Priced at Rs 1,299, the JioDive headset is compatible with both Android smartphones and iPhones, and requires the JioImmerse app for a fully immersive experience.
Meta, a pioneer in the AR/VR arena, has a rich history of innovation. The company’s acquisition of Oculus in 2014 for $2 billion marked its serious commitment to virtual reality. Over the years, Meta has continually evolved its VR offerings, culminating in the development of Horizon, a virtual reality operating system designed to create immersive, interactive digital environments.
In 2020, Meta’s $5.7 billion investment in Jio Platforms Limited, a subsidiary of Reliance Industries Limited, made Facebook the largest minority shareholder in the company. This investment laid the groundwork for deeper collaboration between the two tech giants. By 2022, Jio and Meta had launched the first-ever end-to-end shopping experience on WhatsApp, enabling users to shop from JioMart directly within their chat interface. This innovation brought online shopping to a broader audience in India, particularly those who had never shopped online before.
The potential partnership between Jio and Meta for the upcoming VR headset could be a game-changer. By integrating Meta’s Horizon OS, Jio aims to offer a more sophisticated and immersive AR/VR experience. Horizon’s advanced capabilities could enable Jio’s VR device to provide richer, more interactive environments, enhancing everything from gaming and entertainment to virtual meetings and education.
In 2023, Reliance Jio also unveiled JioGlass, a made-in-India mixed reality headset developed by Tesseract, a company acquired by Reliance in 2019. The JioGlass combines both augmented and virtual reality to deliver a more immersive experience. Featuring a 100-inch FHD micro-LED 3D display, voice and gaze interaction, and weighing just 69 grams, the JioGlass is designed for comfort and portability. It can seamlessly connect to various devices, including smartphones and laptops, allowing users to integrate multiple virtual screens into their workflow.
This collaboration could also signify a broader strategy for Meta, which seeks to expand the reach of its Horizon OS by partnering with other companies.
