In January 2022, The Verge claimed that Google was working on an AR headset with the codename “Project Iris.” Almost one and a half years later, in June 2023, a report from Business Insider said that this project was a plan to build smart glasses and that it had been cancelled, just like the company discontinued Google Glass. Now, a teardown of the Google app suggests that Google may have revived its plan to build smart glasses.
According to 9to5Google, the latest beta version of the Google app for Android contains a string of code tagged “iris”. It points out that apart from saying “Hey Google” to summon Google Assistant, people can also long-press on the right temple (of a device) to perform the task. This string of code also says that they may use this device for calling friends and setting timers using Google Assistant.
Google could be reviving its plans to develop smart glasses
Now, these suggestions could be applicable to a number of devices, including Sony LinkBuds. However, the publication claims that this string of code refers to devices from Google that the company has given the “iris_device” attribute. It means that Iris could be a piece of hardware made by Google or it could refer to smart glasses in a general sense.
Whatever the case, the mention of Iris suggests that Google is most likely bringing back Google Glass or reviving the company’s plans to build smart glasses. At the same time, Google is also working with Samsung on the Korean tech giant’s XR headset, which could go head-to-head against the Apple Vision Pro or the upcoming affordable version of it.
