The New York Times published a long article devoted to everything that the big tech companies have working on on the augmented reality front. With “metaverse” becoming one of the most used words of 2021 and Meta already engaged on several fronts as far as viewers are concerned, just think of Project Cambria, it is not surprising that the other big names in the sector are not watching. There has been a lot of talk about the Apple headset in recent weeks, but the news is that Google is also working on a new pair of glasses.
The NYT does not report details on the product and Google refused to comment; but according to reports, the new device would be the evolution of what the company has taken home; with the acquisition of North, a Canadian company it has bought. in June 2020.
Google is working on new smart glasses for augmented reality
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At the time North was preparing the launch (later canceled) of Focals 2.0; smart glasses equipped with a retinal display with a holographic projector, capable of displaying a certain amount of information such as the weather and the appointments marked on your calendar. A good number of companies had shown interest in the project; with names like Google and Facebook being ready to bring their applications to it.
In short, everything would point in the direction of a new pair of smart glasses, ideally designed for the general public and with a non-prohibitive admission price (the Focals 1.0 had been launched at 1,000 dollars and then lowered to 599 dollars). It remains to be seen when this new project will be announced but; considering that in the next 12 months Apple could also make a first move in the field of virtual/augmented reality; it shouldn’t take very long.
It will be interesting to understand what Google will put on the plate; because several years have now passed since the announcement of the Glass, made available to developers in February 2013; and in the meantime, not only the hardware has seen a rapid evolution, but also the ecosystem. The company’s software has grown tremendously.
According to some recent news, it seems that Apple could soon reveal its AR glasses; at least if tech investment analysts at Morgan Stanley are to be believed. This comes in a report sent to investors; wherein the team notes an instance of patent applications seen before the launch of the Apple Watch in 2014. This suggests that the Cupertino giant could soon be ready to showcase its work in augmented reality via a new wearable for the generic public.
