Juniper Analyst: Apple Could Use Metaio's IP For Augmented Reality Semiconductors

Last week, several mainstream media outlets discussed Apple Inc. AAPL’s alleged acquisition of Metaio, a German company focused on augmented reality.

Apple has not confirmed the purchase, but the story resurfaced on Thursday.

According to the Irish Times, a "document filed with a Munich court showed that Apple is now the company’s sole shareholder." 

Analyst Steffen Sorrell, of Juniper Research, told reporters that Apple could use Metaio's intellectual property for its various electronic goods -- in particular, augmented reality semiconductors.

Related Link: Google, GoPro Team Up On Virtual Realty; Apple Reportedly Makes Augmented Reality Acquisition

To date, neither company has commented on the rumor.

What’s Metaio?

Metaio has been developing augmented-reality applications for more than a decade now. The company started in 2003, and raised capital from sources outside Silicon Valley. Dublin-based Atlantic Bridge and Westcott LLC were the financers behind this project.

Currently, Metaio’s products merge real-world imagery with computer-generated elements, creating moving video presentations.

Major clients like famed retailer IKEA have used this technology to create virtual product showrooms, although it has many other uses.