Google Contracts Employees From Magic Leap

Google has hired more than 100 staffers at augmented reality firm Magic Leap as contractors to assist with Google’s work on its new Android XR operating system, according to a person with direct knowledge of the situation.

The unusual arrangement, which Magic Leap’s senior vice president of product, Jade Meskill, confirmed, will give Google a boost in staffing as it battles Meta Platforms in the race to establish the leading operating system for devices at the intersection of virtual reality and augmented reality. But it raises fresh questions about the future of Magic Leap, a once high-flying startup whose fortunes have dwindled over the past few years.