Insiders claim the device resembles a pair of ski goggles and will launch in 2024.
According to The Verge, Google is currently in development of its own AR device capable of blending virtual graphics over the real world, citing “two people familiar with the project.” Similar to Snap’s Spectacles 3 glasses, Google’s device will supposedly feature two outward-facing cameras capable of projecting digital graphics over the wearer’s real-world environment.
Codenamed Project Iris, sources claim the device will rely upon Google’s data centers to render content remotely and beam it to the headset via a stable internet connection. This will allow the device to operate independently without the need for an external power source such as a dedicated PC or smartphone.
The Verge states that certain members of the Pixel team may be involved in the development of specific pieces of hardware for the device, though additional information is limited at the moment. Roughly 300 people are supposedly working on the headset from a secret facility somewhere in the San Francisco Bay Area, with more hires on the way.
The device is expected to launch in 2024 alongside Project Starline, a revolutionary chat booth that was revealed last year. Using advanced holographic technology, the next-generation communication device is supposed to be mind-blowing. Rumor has it a pilot program is already underway with several participating Fortune 500 company’s.
Google has a long history in the immersive technology industry. In 2014, the company released the first iteration of Google Carboard, a cost-effective head-mounted display designed specifically for mobile VR. This was followed by Google Daydream View in 2016, a mobile VR headset compatible with Pixel devices.
If real, Project Iris would be the company’s first AR device since the ill-fated Google Glass, which was released in 2013 to underwhelming reception.
For more information check out The Verge’s full report here.
Feature Image Credit: Robert Couto Photography