Google abandoned Project Iris, which had the ambition to produce a virtual reality headset with a similar shape to the Apple Vision Pro. The initiative was shut down earlier this year, according to U.S. media reports. The idea was short-lived, as the existence of Iris was discovered only in early 2022, just over a year ago.
The idea was to publicly launch the device in early 2024. Because it is a behind-the-scenes account, for now it is not yet known what exactly motivated the decision to end the project.
Initially revealed by The Verge, Google’s device would be shaped like ski goggles, a processor developed by the company and a special version of the Android system. However, there was the question of whether a new system would be developed for this equipment.
Competition
Little is known about the device. If the timing is correct, the decision to end Project Iris would have taken place in early 2023, before the official announcement of the Apple Vision Pro during WWDC. Still, key information about Apple’s handset had leaked on the internet.
Silicon Valley is going through a time of frank development of virtual reality and augmented reality technologies. In addition to Apple, it is worth remembering that Meta also acts in such projects – focusing, of course, on the metaverse dreamed up by Zuckerberg.
The digital conglomerate has hinted at what Meta Quest 3, the next release, scheduled for the end of the year, will look like. It will cost seven times less than the Vision Pro.
In short, the company was able to create a truly immersive experience. The eye tracking system works very well and the interaction with the visionOS system proved to be very user-friendly.
You could say that this is the ultimate in technology. My impression is that it will be a niche product at first, but that the apple company has plans to evolve the design and functionalities to turn it into a mass device later on.
