According to information obtained by Business Insider, Google has terminated an AR glasses project that has been in development for many years.
▲ Google AR glasses
The glasses are internally code-named Iris, according to three people familiar with the matter. Earlier this year, Google experienced layoffs, and reorganization, and Google AR/VR chief Clay Bavor (Clay Bavor) announced his departure, and the glasses have since been shelved. A Google spokesman declined to comment.
The Verge first reported the existence of Project Iris in January 2022, describing the device as similar to a pair of ski goggles. However, Google employees say that the “ski goggles” are actually a separate AR-based item for Samsung’s partner products, while Iris is a series of devices that are more akin to glasses.
According to the latest reports, Google plans to develop and launch Iris as its own product, and to consolidate talent through acquisitions. In 2020, the company announced the acquisition of North, a Canadian startup that makes AR glasses. An early version of Iris closely resembled North’s first device, the Focals, while a later version of Google’s demo featured translation.
▲ North Focals glasses
The report also said that since shelving the Iris glasses, Google has been focusing on building an AR software platform that it hopes to license to other headset makers. Google employees are developing the software using a prototype platform internally known as “Betty.” One employee described the Glasses platform as “Android for AR.”
Insiders said Google leadership’s constant shifting of Iris’ strategy led to a constant reorientation of the team, frustrating many employees.
Two employees said that Google may one day bring back the Iris glasses and that some teams are still experimenting with AR technology. Other teams were moved to software platforms and Samsung partnerships, they said.
