Originally I found the Magic Leap extremely exciting, because in contrast to phones or tablets, whose touchscreens limit what sort of applications are feasible, AR could allow for arbitrary interfaces. These interfaces could be present alongside the real world, making them both more convenient and maybe less of an attention-vortex.

This is (among other things) what Magic Leap pitched, and comparing the actual product to their press releases is to note a vast discrepancy. Still, hope springs eternal, so while I wasn't impressed, I know how hard AR is and I wasn't inclined to judge too harshly-- maybe it will get better as technology improves.

After having read the article, I find myself rooting for them to fail. This is a company that has taken (and arguably squandered) billions of dollars to release a slightly cheaper HoloLens. Instead of feeling abashed, they continue blithely on, even having the temerity to invite developers to their platform because the rest of the world (and in particular, other platforms) has so much "baggage" and "negativity".

As the article notes, this is a company that is propped up by oligarchs, settles sex discrimination lawsuits, and is pursuing military contracts with repressive regimes. Although to be fair, improving soldiers' lethality is the only use case they've articulated that justifies the price. Now that the missed expectations and general shadiness are starting to catch up with them, they're moving to attract developers. Somehow, despite all the money, they haven't been able to pay for an idea to justify the hype-- what else could you call it but a con?