Google working on AR headset codenamed ‘Project Iris’, expected to launch in 2024: Report

By Team Newsable | First Published Jan 21, 2022, 3:58 PM IST

According to the sources, the headgear is still in the early phases of development. The gadget might be powered by a bespoke Google CPU and operate on Android.

With Metaverse on the horizon, several digital behemoths are investing in AR and VR ventures. Meta is going all-in on Metaverse, Apple is developing a mixed reality headgear, and now Google is said to be developing a new augmented reality headset called Project Iris. According to two people familiar with the topic, Google's Project Iris may include outward-facing cameras to merge computer images with a video stream of the actual world, according to a storey in The Verge. The research will result in a more immersive mixed reality experience than AR glasses such as Snap Glasses and Magic Leap.

According to the report, the Google AR headset might be released in 2024, and early versions resemble ski goggles and do not require a tethered connection to an external power source. According to the sources, the headgear is still in the early phases of development. The gadget might be powered by a bespoke Google CPU and operate on Android. However, the storey cites a job description that suggests Google may create a different operating system for the AR headgear.

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According to The Verge, Google could leverage its cloud computing servers to produce visuals into the headset through an internet connection remotely. It also mentions that the Pixel development team participates in the project to assist with the hardware. According to the article, the leading team working on Google's Project Iris comprises around 300 employees, with ambitions to add more. Clay Bavor is the executive in charge of the project, and he reports directly to CEO Sundar Pichai. Bavor is also the project manager for Project Starline, a next-generation super high-resolution video chat booth that we first saw last year.

During an earnings call in October 2021, Google CEO Sundar Pichai informed investors that the firm is thinking about AR and will be a big investment area for the company. While Google appears to be poised to enter the AR market and has the necessary technology and people, it is not investing as much as Meta, which is already rumoured to be spending $10 billion per year on AR and VR.

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