Project Iris is the codename for an unreleased augmented reality (AR) headset designed and developed by Google. It was intended to resemble ordinary eyeglasses and expected to be released in 2024, until its cancellation in early 2023.
Following the highly publicized failure of Google Glass smartglasses in 2013, Google executives were initially disinclined to re-enter the field of wearable AR technology. However, work had begun on a new AR headset by 2021 under the leadership of Mark Lucovsky, codenamed Project Iris. The project underwent a turbulent development stage, with Google executives constantly shifting their vision for Iris. To facilitate its efforts, the company also acquired North and Raxium.
After going through numerous iterations, a version of Iris was unveiled at the 2022 Google I/O keynote before undergoing public testing later that year. In June 2023, after Apple beat Google to the punch and unveiled the Vision Pro mixed reality headset, Google abandoned the project in the midst of company-wide layoffs and internal turmoil, with Project Moohan and Betty intended to serve as Iris' spiritual successors.
Google first experimented with the prospect of smartglasses with the introduction of Google Glass in 2013. [1] The product was panned by critics due to privacy and ethical concerns, [2] leading Google to discontinue the consumer-facing model and focus on the enterprise model. [3] [4] In May 2019, Google VR/AR head Clay Bavor told CNET that the company was heavily invested in R&D regarding AR devices, [5] while a February 2020 report from The Information revealed that Google had no plans to develop a new pair of augmented reality (AR) smartglasses as of mid-2019, in part due to the highly publicized failure of Glass. [6] In June 2020, Google acquired North, a manufacturer of smartglasses, to assist in its hardware division's vision of ambient computing. [7] Shortly after the acquisition, the company began work on a new pair of AR smartglasses based on North designs, [8] which The New York Times confirmed in December 2021. [9]
In August 2021, following the announcement that the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro smartphones would feature the custom-developed Tensor system-on-chip (SoC), Google hardware chief Rick Osterloh told Business Insider that he believed that Tensor had long-term potential for AR-powered smartglasses, [10] and was echoed by CEO Sundar Pichai in October. [11] In November, a "Google Labs" division led by Bavor was created to oversee Google's AR and virtual reality (VR) ventures, unrelated to the defunct service of the same name, [12] while development on an AR operating system began the next month for an unknown "innovative AR device", an effort spearheaded by Mark Lucovsky. [13] Meanwhile, Google began work on two custom system-on-chips akin to Tensor, codenamed Alius and Alexandrite, which would power its smartglasses. [8]
In January 2022, The Verge reported that Google was building an AR headset that used "outward-facing cameras to blend computer graphics with a video feed of the real world", internally codenamed Project Iris and being developed in a highly secretive and secure facility located in the San Francisco Bay Area. Overseen by Bavor, the headset was to be powered by the Android operating system as well as a custom system-on-chip, expected to launch in 2024 alongside the experimental Project Starline. Other key people named as part of the project include Shahram Izadi, Eddie Chung, Scott Huffman, Kurt Akeley, Paul Greco, and Lucovsky. [14] [8] Over the next two years, Google executives constantly changed strategies regarding Project Iris, frustrating employees. [15] [8]
During this time, longtime Google rival Apple was concurrently developing its own mixed reality (MR) headset, [16] eventually announced as the Vision Pro. [17] When reports began to surface in early 2022 that Apple was making significant progress on the Vision Pro and nearing an official launch, Google executives panicked and formed a partnership with Android collaborator Samsung, who also wished to build an MR headset. As part of "Project Moohan", Google agreed to provide Samsung with the software for a headset designed by Samsung. Moohan resembled ski goggles and had a targeted release date of 2024. However, tensions soon arose between the two companies, with Samsung consolidating its control over the project to prevent Google from building a rival product. [8] [15] [18]
In March 2022, The Information reported that Google would acquire Raxium, an AR hardware startup, for approximately $1 billion, and would continue to make further acquisitions to assist in their AR and MR work. [19] The acquisition was completed a month later. [20] During the 2022 Google I/O keynote in May, Google unveiled a version of Iris resembling eyeglasses with live translation capabilities. [15] [21] [22] The company began publicly testing these prototypes across the U.S. in August, [23] before expanding into Canada in October. [24] In December 2022, 9to5Google reported that the company was considering using rings or bracelets to control Iris. [25] Google discontinued Glass Enterprise in March 2023. [26]
In June 2023, Apple unveiled the Vision Pro, frustrating many Google employees. [8] Three weeks later, Business Insider reported that Google had shelved Project Iris as part of its company-wide cost-cutting measures earlier in the year, which saw mass layoffs and the departure of Bavor. The final product would have resembled ordinary eyeglasses. [15] [27] The Verge observed that Akeley was now listed as retired on LinkedIn, while Lucovsky, many North employees, and several other engineers remained involved in Google's AR ventures; [27] Chung had departed the company in February. Lucovsky left the following month, and Izadi assumed leadership of the AR division, now focused mainly on Project Moohan and reporting to Google senior vice president Hiroshi Lockheimer. [8] Employees did not rule out the possibility of Iris being resurrected in the future. [15] 9to5Google unearthed evidence in November that pointed to a possible revival of the project, locating a new string of code on the Google app on Android referencing Iris and the ability to activate the Google Assistant virtual assistant by touching one's right temple. [28] Google laid off much of its AR hardware team in January 2024. [29]
Meanwhile, Google shifted its attention from hardware to AR and MR software, which they hoped to license to third-party manufacturers à la Android. [15] [27] A new team under Izadi began incorporating Iris' code into a new project codenamed Betty, intended to be part of a "Micro XR" platform that would be pitched to manufacturers. The former Raxium team continued to explore potential AR hardware projects under Greco's supervision, but was reportedly "firewalled" from the Moohan and Betty crews. A Google employee described the situation as "a weird bureaucratic mess". [8] [18] The Information reported in December 2023 that Google was also looking to integrate a new virtual assistant codenamed "Pixie", powered by its recently announced Gemini large language model, into glasses. [30] [31]
Writing for 9to5Google, Abner Li opined in February 2021 that Google should begin work on AR glasses technology as soon as possible to counter similar efforts from Apple if it wished not to be left behind in the future. [32] Following The Verge's report on Project Iris, Nicholas Sutrich of Android Central and analyst Anshel Sag of Moor Insights & Strategy agreed that it would be a daunting task for Google to reinstill the public's trust in its commitment to supporting its products in the long term, as well as demonstrate its investment in extended reality (XR), citing the failure of the Stadia cloud gaming service as a cautionary tale. [33] Tom Pritchard of Tom's Guide believed that Google's acquisition of Raxium technologies gave it an edge over other potential competitors. [34]
On the AR translation glasses Google demoed at I/O in 2022, The Verge's Antonio G. Di Benedetto and Mitchell Clark felt that Google's apparent goal to break down the language barrier was ambitious and difficult to accomplish, [35] while their colleague Sean Hollister wrote that Google would have to develop AR experiences "more compelling or convenient than what phones already offer". [36] After news broke that the project had been scrapped, Li expressed concern for Google's hardware division, deeming the cancellation a missed opportunity, [37] while Charlie Sorrel of Lifewire speculated that Google may have been intimidated by the Vision Pro. Lorne Fade, the co-founder of the VR Vision training company, reasoned that Google would likely "follow Apple and come out with an XR device in the coming years". [38]
A virtual retinal display (VRD), also known as a retinal scan display (RSD) or retinal projector (RP), is a display technology that draws a raster display directly onto the retina of the eye.
Google Store is a hardware retail store operated by Google that sells Google Pixel devices, Google Nest products, Chromecast dongles, Fitbit devices, and accessories such as earbuds, phone cases, chargers, and keyboards. It also sold Nexus, Daydream, Stadia and Cardboard devices until their discontinuations. Google Store sells products made by Google or made in collaboration with that company. It was introduced on March 11, 2015, and replaced the Devices section of Google Play as Google's hardware retailer. It is overseen by Ana Corrales, who is also the COO of Google's Devices & Services division.
An optical head-mounted display (OHMD) is a wearable device that has the capability of reflecting projected images as well as allowing the user to see through it. In some cases, this may qualify as augmented reality (AR) technology. OHMD technology has existed since 1997 in various forms, but despite a number of attempts from industry, has yet to have had major commercial success.
Smartglasses or smart glasses are eye or head-worn wearable computers that offer useful capabilities to the user. Many smartglasses include displays that add information alongside or to what the wearer sees. Alternatively, smartglasses are sometimes defined as glasses that are able to change their optical properties, such as smart sunglasses that are programmed to change tint by electronic means. Alternatively, smartglasses are sometimes defined as glasses that include headphone functionality.
Reality Labs, originally Oculus VR, is a business and research unit of Meta Platforms that produces virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) hardware and software, including virtual reality headsets such as Quest, and online platforms such as Horizon Worlds. In June 2022, several artificial intelligence (AI) initiatives that were previously a part of Meta AI were transitioned to Reality Labs. This also includes Meta's fundamental AI Research laboratory FAIR which is now part of the Reality Labs - Research (RLR) division.
castAR was a Palo Alto–based technology startup company founded in March 2013 by Jeri Ellsworth and Rick Johnson. Its first product was to be the castAR, a pair of augmented reality and virtual reality glasses. castAR was a founding member of the nonprofit Immersive Technology Alliance.
Magic Leap, Inc. is an American technology company that released a head-mounted augmented reality display, called Magic Leap One, which superimposes 3D computer-generated imagery over real world objects. It is attempting to construct a light-field chip using silicon photonics.
Windows Mixed Reality (WMR) is a discontinued platform by Microsoft which provides augmented reality and virtual reality experiences with compatible head-mounted displays.
Microsoft HoloLens is an augmented reality (AR)/mixed reality (MR) headset developed and manufactured by Microsoft. HoloLens runs the Windows Mixed Reality platform under the Windows 10 operating system. Some of the positional tracking technology used in HoloLens can trace its lineage to the Microsoft Kinect, an accessory for Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Xbox One game consoles that was introduced in 2010.
HTC Vive is a line of virtual and mixed reality headsets produced by HTC Corporation. The brand currently encompasses headsets designed for use with personal computers as well as standalone headsets such as the Vive Focus line, Vive Flow glasses, and the Vive Elite XR mixed reality headset.
DAQRI was an American augmented reality company headquartered in Los Angeles, CA.
Spectacles are smartglasses dedicated to recording video for the Snapchat service. This term is often used to address sunglasses and eyeglasses. They feature a camera lens and are capable of recording short video segments and syncing with a smartphone to upload to the user's online account. They were developed and manufactured by Snap Inc., and announced on September 23, 2016. The smartglasses were released on November 10, 2016. They are made for Snap's image messaging and multimedia platform, Snapchat, and were initially distributed exclusively through Snap's pop-up vending machine, Snapbot. On February 20, 2017, Snap Spectacles became available for purchase online.
Google Lens is an image recognition technology developed by Google, designed to bring up relevant information related to objects it identifies using visual analysis based on a neural network. First announced during Google I/O 2017, it was first provided as a standalone app, later being integrated into Google Camera but was reportedly removed in October 2022. It has also been integrated with the Google Photos and Google Assistant app and with Bard as of 2023.
Everysight Ltd. is an Israeli technology company established in 2014 as a spinoff of Elbit Systems. Everysight develops smartglasses based on augmented reality technology for the civilian market. The company's main product is Raptor smartglasses.
The Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are a pair of Android smartphones designed, developed, and marketed by Google as part of the Google Pixel product line. They collectively serve as the successor to the Pixel 5. The phones were first previewed in August 2021, confirming reports that they would be powered by a custom system-on-chip named Google Tensor. The cameras are housed in a horizontal bar on the back, while the front features a hole-punch display notch in the center. They shipped with Android 12, with Google announcing numerous artificial intelligence and ambient computing features during the phones' launch event.
Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses, formerly known as Ray-Ban Stories, are smartglasses created as a collaboration between Meta Platforms and EssilorLuxottica. The product includes two cameras, open-ear speakers, a microphone, and touchpad, all built into the frame. The glasses, announced in August 2020 and released on September 9, 2021, had a controversial reception stemming from mistrust over Facebook’s privacy controls. The small size of the recording indicator light has also led to controversy post-release. Ray-Ban Stories are the latest in a line of smartglasses released by major companies including Snap Inc and Google and are designed as one component of Facebook’s plans for a metaverse. Unlike smart glasses previously created by other companies, the Ray-Ban Stories do not include any HUD or AR head-mounted display. On September 27, 2023, Meta removed the "Stories" name and announced the second generation of Meta Ray-Ban Smartglasses, which featured a Qualcomm Snapdragon AR1 Gen1 processor, upgrade of the cameras to 12 MP, improved audio, livestreaming to Facebook and Instagram, and Meta AI.
The Pixel Watch is a Wear OS smartwatch designed, developed, and marketed by Google as part of the Google Pixel product line. First previewed in May 2022 during the Google I/O keynote, it features a round dome-shaped display as well as deep integration with Fitbit, which Google acquired in 2021. Two Pixel-branded smartwatches had been in development at Google by July 2016, but were canceled ahead of their release due to hardware chief Rick Osterloh's concerns that they did not fit well with other Pixel devices. Development on a new Pixel-branded watch began shortly after Google's acquisition of Fitbit.
The Meta Quest Pro is a mixed reality (MR) headset developed by Reality Labs, a division of Meta Platforms.
Apple Vision Pro is a mixed reality headset developed by Apple Inc. Announced on June 5, 2023, at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference, pre-orders began on January 19, 2024 and the product launched on February 2, 2024 in the United States. A worldwide launch has yet to be scheduled. It is Apple's first new major product category since the release of the Apple Watch in 2015.