According to a report from a few days ago, Google is no longer working on its ambitious plan for AR Glasses known as Google Iris. This means that there is one less rival to Apple Glasses, which is thought to be something Apple is working on and could be released in the near future.
According to rumors, Apple Glasses is a kind that is a wearing AR device that could introduce a new era of Augmented Reality for Apple. Although the recently released Vision Pro is focused on the augmented and the virtual world, Apple Glasses will reportedly concentrate on the former.
The demise of the Google Iris project is a moment of calm for Apple since Google Iris was shaping out to be an AR product that could shake up the wearable AR market if rumors are to be taken seriously.
Google to adhere to the Android Plan
For those not aware, Google was the first company to launch and market AR Glasses in the form of Google Glass in 2013. However, the device, which cost $1,500, was not able to attract the attention of users, and Google was forced to stop selling the glasses.
Business Insider reports that Google has changed its AR strategy. The tech giant is now focusing on the development of operating systems for AR products, rather than creating hardware. Google is currently working on a “micro XRF” platform that would be licensed to other AR hardware manufacturers. Similar to the way it worked with Android but there will not be Pixel devices on this platform.
Google wants to develop an operating system, a platform specifically for companies that manufacture AR/VR equipment.
It is believed that the Google Iris project has been working at Google for many years. Google even acquired several companies and hired famous AR engineers for this Iris project. The project was re-designed several times before it was discarded by the company in the middle of this year, according to Insider.
The frequent changes to the way the product is designed resulted in frustration for many Google employees. This is listed as among the main reasons Clay Bavor left the company. He was in charge of AR/VR at Google for the last 18 years.
Layoffs also had a part in the closing out of the Google Iris project.
If you’re a recollection kind of person, Google even demoed its AR glasses during the I/O event in the year before, where it was used in the translation of different languages.
Despite the fact of the fact that Project Iris was shut down, many Google employees remain hopeful that Google will introduce AR technology in the near near future.
Although it’s not clear when Apple will unveil its AR Glasses, With Vision Pro launching next year and Vision Pro coming out in 2019, we’re not far away from the wearable AR glasses coming from Apple.
