Photo of Magic Leap AR prototype leaks out, backpack and all

In December, a report by The Information indicated that well-funded startup Magic Leap wasn't nearly as close to producing its vaunted augmented reality headset as demo reels had suggested. CEO Rony Abovitz responded by claiming it had completed a "PEQ (Product Equivalent) build of our target form factor," and now Business Insider has what it says is "the first public photo" of the device. Delivered by an unnamed source, it shows a person wearing not only a headset, but also a backpack-like setup with an exposed circuit board and processor, and apparently holding the battery pack.

If this is the current hardware, then it's in rough shape, but hardware prototypes often are, and what's most important is what one sees in that headset. According to BI's source, next week the company's board will see a demo unit with belt loops instead of a backpack that looks "more finished."