The tech giant Google has taken a step back from its development of augmented reality glasses, moving its efforts to software solutions for AR technologies.
In Brief
Google's long-term project aimed at producing augmented reality glasses, named Iris, has officially been scrapped by the company.
The decision was made for the company to concentrate its resources on developing AR software platforms rather than hardware products.
After several years of invested effort, Google has finally let go of its augmented reality glasses project, Iris. This change came as a result of significant layoffs, restructuring, and the departure of Clay Bavor, who was leading the AR and VR divisions at the time. Business Insider .
Project Iris was designed to create AR glasses closely resembling typical eyewear. Despite initial speculation about its design, Google later clarified that the device often referred to as 'ski goggles' was part of a different AR collaboration with Samsung, not Iris. leaked In 2020, Google acquired North, a Canadian firm known for its AR glasses, and incorporated its technology to prototype an early version of Iris. This iteration was eventually upgraded to include translation functionalities and even showcased to the public.
The journey of the Iris glasses has been fraught with inconsistent leadership direction, causing significant frustration among the development team. Consequently, the decision was made to terminate the project and pivot towards a focus on licensing AR software to other hardware manufacturers.
Currently, Google is advancing an Android XR platform aimed for Samsung devices along with a new 'micro XR' platform designed for glasses. Reports indicate that this 'micro XR' initiative is leveraging a rapid prototyping tool known as Betty, aiming to build a universal AR platform.
This shift marks the second time Google has ceased production of its head-mounted display technology, which was among the first well-known products in the sector. The Glass Enterprise Edition 2 was meant to be an upgraded version of its predecessors but faced its share of challenges including privacy concerns and limited market interest.
In March, Google discontinued The wave of layoffs in Big Tech continues, as Meta’s recent cuts impact around 11,000 members of its workforce.
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In line with the Trust Project guidelines Agne is a dedicated journalist who reports on the latest innovations and trends in the metaverse, AI, and Web3 realms for Metaverse Post. Her love for storytelling drives her to engage with industry experts, always looking to discover captivating and inspiring narratives. With a Bachelor's degree in literature and a broad writing background that includes topics from travel to culture, Agne has also volunteered as an editor for an animal rights group, where she has championed awareness for animal welfare issues. You can reach out to her at
