Apple Acquires AR Headset Firm Mira, Which Contributed Tech to Mario Kart Ride at Super Nintendo World

Just a day after Apple debuted its Vision Pro headset, The Verge reports that Apple has acquired AR headset startup Mira, a firm most known to the public for providing some of the lens technology found in headsets used on Mario Kart rides in Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan and Universal Studios Hollywood.

mira mario kart ride universal
The Verge says Mira CEO Ben Taft shared a private photo on Instagram showing a number of Apple employee badges with the comment "Excited for Mira’s next chapter, at Apple :). 7 year journey from dorm room to acquisition." At least 11 Mira employees have reportedly joined Apple, which essentially confirmed the acquisition by issuing its standard press statement to The Verge, saying only that "we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans."

In addition to the Mario Kart ride partnership, Mira has also been involved in military contracts and has promoted its headsets for use in manufacturing and mining settings, but it's unlikely most of these efforts will continue under Apple's ownership.

Apple has obviously already developed significant expertise in augmented and virtual reality, so it's unclear exactly why it has acquired Mira, but it's likely to be related to continuing to bolster its talent in the area or perhaps intellectual property rights.

Update June 7: This article has been updated to clarify Mira's contributions to the Mario Kart ride headset.

Popular Stories

iOS 26

iOS 26.1 Coming Soon: New Features for Your iPhone and Release Date

Monday October 27, 2025 7:55 am PDT by
The upcoming iOS 26.1 update includes a handful of new features and changes for iPhones, including a toggle for changing the appearance of the Liquid Glass design, "slide to stop" for alarms in the Clock app, and more. Below, we outline key details about iOS 26.1. Release Date Given that Apple has yet to seed an iOS 26.1 Release Candidate, which is typically the final beta version, the...
iOS 26

6 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.1

Wednesday October 29, 2025 4:22 am PDT by
Apple is about to drop iOS 26.1, the first major point release since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least six notable changes and improvements to look forward to. We've rounded them up below. Apple has already provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate version of iOS 26.1, which means Apple will likely roll out the update to all compatible...
maxresdefault

Apple TV 4K Could Still Launch Before 2025 Ends: All the Rumored Features

Monday October 27, 2025 4:51 pm PDT by
Apple is designing an updated version of the Apple TV 4K, and rumors suggest that it could come out sometime in the next couple of months. We're not expecting a major overhaul with design changes, but even a simple chip upgrade will bring major improvements to Apple's set-top box. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. We've rounded up all the latest Apple TV rumors. ...
M6 MacBook Pro Feature 1

M6 MacBook Pro: Release Date, Pricing, and What to Expect

Monday October 27, 2025 9:15 am PDT by
Apple this month refreshed the 14-inch MacBook Pro base model with its new M5 chip, and higher-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips are expected to follow in early 2026. However, these machines will represent the final update to the current design, with Apple reportedly developing a completely new version of the MacBook Pro packed with next-generation hardware...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, and macOS Tahoe 26.1 Release Candidates

Tuesday October 28, 2025 1:07 pm PDT by
Apple today provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, macOS Tahoe 26.1, tvOS 26.1, watchOS 26.1, and visionOS 26.1 updates for testing purposes. The RCs betas come a week after Apple released the fourth betas. The new betas can be downloaded from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software...
iOS 26 Battery Glass Feature

iOS 26.1 Beta Liquid Glass Battery Drain Test: Tinted vs Clear Mode

Friday October 24, 2025 2:30 pm PDT by
In the fourth iOS 26.1 beta, Apple added a "Tinted" option that reduces the translucency of Liquid Glass for those who prefer a more opaque look. I saw some comments wondering whether the setting might preserve battery life, so I thought I'd do some testing. Test Settings I did four separate tests using the iPhone 17 Pro Max, and I kept the parameters as similar as possible. Here are the...
ios 26 digital id passport wallet

Apple Says U.S. Passport Feature on iPhone is Coming Soon

Monday October 27, 2025 7:41 am PDT by
You will "soon" be able to add a digital version of your U.S. passport to your iPhone, according to Jennifer Bailey, vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet. Bailey reiterated that the feature is coming soon during her keynote at the Money20/20 USA conference in Las Vegas on Sunday. On its iOS 26 page, Apple says the delayed feature will be "coming later this year." Apple's...
macos tahoe

Here Are Apple's Release Notes for macOS Tahoe 26.1

Tuesday October 28, 2025 1:21 pm PDT by
Apple today provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate version of macOS Tahoe 26.1, which means the update will likely see a public launch next week. The release candidate includes notes on what's in the update, so we have a full picture of the new features that Apple has included. macOS Tahoe 26.1 adds AutoMix support over AirPlay, improved FaceTime audio...
All Screen iPhone 2027 Feature 1

iPhone XX? 6 Features Rumored for Apple's 20th Anniversary iPhone

Monday October 27, 2025 4:01 pm PDT by
For the 10th anniversary iPhone that came out in 2017, Apple introduced the iPhone X with Face ID, notch, and minimized bezels, providing more display space than ever before. The 20th iPhone anniversary is approaching and Apple wants to take the iPhone X design even further. We're two years away from the 2027 iPhone, but it's tough for Apple to keep major changes under wraps. We've rounded...

Top Rated Comments

mattopotamus Avatar
31 months ago
Why am I more interested in this the more I see it =/

Damn you Apple!
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheGenerous Avatar
31 months ago
I dated the sister of Shigeru Miyamoto a few years ago.

(At least that's what she said)
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Realityck Avatar
31 months ago

Just a day after Apple debuted its Vision Pro headset, The Verge reports ('https://www.theverge.com/2023/6/6/23751350/apple-mira-ar-headset-startup') that Apple has acquired AR headset startup Mira ('https://www.mirareality.com'), a firm most known to the public for providing headsets used on Mario Kart rides in Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan and Universal Studios Hollywood.
Likely Apple wants to have future Vision Pro variation use some of the patients that Mira owns. Mira video shows it being used in industrial workplace settings rather than say someone carrying a device around in hand.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Spaceboi Scaphandre Avatar
31 months ago
If I had to guess why they bought Mira, it's to figure out how to easily manufacture the future consumer model Apple Vision. The Vision Pro is very complicated and difficult to manufacture, which is one of the reasons it costs $3500. For a consumer model to succeed they need to be able to make a lot of these easily and quickly and get that price way down.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
newyorksole Avatar
31 months ago

Why am I more interested in this the more I see it =/

Damn you Apple!
don’t worry. it’s happening to a LOT of other people.

as I expected. :)
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
idji73 Avatar
31 months ago
Don't forget this important 2017 acquisition : https://www.macrumors.com/2017/11/21/apple-acquires-vrvana-ar-headset-company/
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)