By
Godfrey Benjamin
April 18th, 2024
Google is keeping the AR headset project a secret within the company as it requires special keycards to access the building with the early prototypes being developed.
Google LLC (NASDAQ: GOOG) is taking on Meta Platforms Inc (NASDAQ: FB), Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT), and Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL) as the technology company is working on an augmented reality (AR) headset. News has been flying around on Meta’s work-in-progress towards building AR and virtual reality (VR) hardware. Microsoft has HoloLens, and Apple is also intensely working on releasing its AR product. Now, Google is joining others in the growing AR and virtual reality space as it begins work on its AR headset, with the code name “Project Iris.”
Google to Expectedly Ship AR Headset in 2024
According to two anonymous and reliable sources, who revealed the plans, the Google AR headset is currently under development in a San Francisco Bay Area Facility. In addition, the two sources said Goggle expects to begin shipping the AR headset starting from 2024. Citing the sources, The Verge explains that the upcoming headset shares similar features with the coming headsets from Apple and Meta. The Google AR headset will use outward-facing cameras to integrate computer graphics with real-world video feeds. The integration will result in a more immersive experience compared to other existing AR glasses from Snap and Magic Leap. Furthermore, The Verge report shows that the new product will run on a “custom Google processor.”
Google is keeping the AR headset project a secret within the company as it requires special keycards to access the building with the early prototypes being developed. Also, the tech giant is ensuring that Project Iris runs on non-disclosure agreements. The report says there are currently about 300 people in the core team working on the Google AR headset. As work proceeds, Google plans to onboard more people, hiring hundreds of people more to support the project development. VP, Labs at Google, Clay Bavor, is the executive supervising the project, and he reports to CEO Sundar Pichai. Bavor is also in charge of Project Starline, a 3D video chat booth.
Project Iris
Bavor has been with Google for 17 years and has been managing the company’s VR and AR efforts for years. Some of the other executives working on Project Iris include Shahram Izadi and Mark Lucovsky. Others are Kurt Akeley, Eddie Chung, and Scott Huffman, the VP and creator of Google Assistant.
As Google embraces AR, the company is also exploring the crypto world. A recent report says the technology company has partnered with Coinbase Global Inc (NASDAQ: COIN) and BitPay to allow customers to store crypto on their digital cards.
Except for gaining 41.18% over the past year, Google’s parent company Alphabet stock has constantly declined. GOOG dropped 7.72% in its year-to-date record, shedding another 6.50% over the past three months. In the last one month, the multinational company has lost over 9% and has plunged more than 45 in the last five days.