During the 2022 I/O keynote, Google showcased a pair of glasses with real-time AR translation, gene rating excitement and applause. These glasses, known as Iris AR glasses, were designed to resemble regular glasses and were expected to offer innovative augmented reality experiences. However, it appears that the project has been abandoned by Google and will join the company’s long list of discontinued endeavors.
According to a report by Insider, the development of the Iris glasses was plagued by frequent changes in Google’s strategy, causing the team to constantly pivot. This led to frustration among employees and ultimately contributed to the project’s cancellation. The decision was also influenced by recent layoffs and reorganization within the company, as well as the departure of Clay Bavor, who had been leading the AR/VR department for 18 years.
Despite the cancellation, there is a possibility that Google’s Project Iris could live on in a different form. It is speculated that the concept may be reimagined as ski goggles, similar to Apple’s Vision Pro, or as a headset resembling Meta’s Quest. Insider’s sources suggest that Google’s original goggles served as the foundation for Samsung’s upcoming headset, as a result of a partnership between Google, Samsung, and Qualcomm announced in February. This indicates that the project’s development may continue under the collaboration.
Rather than focusing on creating its own hardware, Google is prioritizing the development of an “Android for AR” platform. The company plans to license its AR software to manufacturers, following a similar business model to its mobile platform. Currently, Google is working on the development of Android XR for Samsung’s “extended reality” wearable devices, as well as a new platform called “micro XR” for glasses, as mentioned in the report.
