According to a report by Insider magazine, Google has decided to scrap the development of its Project Iris AR glasses. This comes after numerous changes in Google’s strategy for AR glasses, which reportedly frustrated employees. The development of Project Iris came to a complete halt after job cuts. Google is now shifting its focus to the development of software for AR devices manufactured by external companies. They have already partnered with Samsung for this initiative. The goal is to create a software platform called “Android for AR” that can run on devices from various manufacturers. In terms of AR hardware, it seems that Google has given up on it, at least for now.
Last year, it was revealed in a report by The Verge that Google was working on another AR headset called Project Iris, which was expected to launch in 2024. Unlike previous AR glasses, Project Iris would rely on external cameras to map the wearer’s environment. It would also be wireless and rely on cloud computing for its processing power. Google had planned to develop the internal processor for the headset. However, even with the change in strategy, Google is likely to face tough competition from top IT companies such as Meta and Apple, who are also building mixed reality glasses. It remains to be seen if Google’s software can replicate the success of Android.
Overall, the development of Google’s Project Iris AR glasses has been discontinued, and the company is now focusing on software development for AR devices manufactured by external companies. The future success of Google’s “Android for AR” software remains uncertain as it competes with other top-class IT companies in the AR space.
