Google’s Smart Glasses Project Ends, Focuses on AR Software

- Google’s smart glasses project, Iris, was discontinued after years of development.
- Google aims to create an “Android for AR” software platform for AR devices.
- Meta plans an AR glasses developer kit, while Apple faces technical difficulties with AR glasses.
According to the latest article from Business Insider, it appears that Google’s clever glasses undertaking, codenamed Iris, has been discontinued. The development of those glasses, which aimed to incorporate augmented reality (AR) capabilities, had been underway for numerous years. However, because of layoffs, organizational changes, and the departure of key employees, the mission turned into in the end put on maintenance.
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In 2020, Google obtained a Canadian startup known as North, which turned into recognized for its glossy smart glasses called Focals. Two years later, Google added its very own smart glasses with show and translation functions and even carried out public exams. The wearable device went thru numerous iterations, however, it faced demanding situations as Google’s management regularly changed its strategic route, leading to frustration among employees. Recently, Google decided to do away with the Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2 from the market. It seems that this circulates become now is not aimed toward introducing a greater contemporary product.
Google killed its AR glasses to work on AR devices from Samsung, others: https://t.co/Gg3ZsKQ1FF
— SamMobile – Samsung news! (@SamMobiles) June 28, 2023
Instead, Google has shifted its focus towards growing a software program platform for AR devices. The employer’s aim is to create an “Android for AR” and license it to producers, which include Samsung. By doing so, Google hopes to dominate the AR/VR market, just like it currently dominates the Android device marketplace. Internally, a prototype of this working system is reportedly known as “Betty” Interestingly, Meta (previously Facebook) currently makes use of a changed version of Android for its Quest headsets and is expected to hold doing so, as it tries to increase its own AR/VR working device did now not prevail.
On the alternative hand, Apple has evolved its own custom running machine known as visionOS for its Vision Pro and upcoming AR headsets. Creating lightweight and powerful AR glasses has tested to be a sizable project. The bulky AR headsets currently to be had, including Meta Quest Pro and Apple Vision Pro, are visible as transient solutions in the direction toward mainstream adoption of AR glasses with obvious optics. Bloomberg said in advance this year that Apple had indefinitely postponed its own AR glasses task due to technical difficulties.
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However, Meta is anticipated to unveil an AR glasses developer kit and demo device next year, providing perception into the destiny of this generation. Nevertheless, a greater advanced model of the tool is not anticipated to be had for purchase until 2027. In the meantime, Meta plans to release a less complicated pair of Ray-Ban clever glasses with a display in 2025, which might be similar to what Google had predicted for its discontinued smart glasses.