Jordan Bevan
Meta has finally finalized the acquisition of Within, maker of the fitness app Supernatural, following an antitrust dispute with the FTC. Almost two years had passed before the deal received the required approvals to proceed.
In October 2021, a day after it changed its name, Meta first declared its intention to buy the developer. The FTC sought to halt the transaction last year on the grounds that Meta was creating a “virtual reality empire,” but it was revealed last week that Meta had been successful in getting approval for the acquisition.
“Today marks an exciting new chapter for Supernatural, as we officially join Meta. We’re elated for the opportunity to bring joy, awe, wonder, and a happier, healthier life to more people around the world,” said Within CEO Chris Milk.
The terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Today marks a new chapter for Within and @GetSupernatural, as we officially join @Meta. We’re thrilled to help people transform their lives as we bring more joy, awe and wonder to the world. We look forward to what’s ahead. pic.twitter.com/yf4U5mGwbI
— Within (@WITHIN) February 8, 2023
The announcement of the deal’s closure comes to Meta at a difficult time because it has recently undergone a 13% employee reduction. The company disclosed last week in its quarterly report that it lost $13.7 billion on AR and VR over the course of the previous year. Its subsidiary for these technologies, Reality Labs, only generated $2.16 billion in sales.
Supernatural evaluates heart rate by pairing with wearable devices to create workouts similar to the VR version of Peloton, and uses video scans of trainers superimposed on game-like training environments.
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