After Google's Project Iris AR glasses were reportedly discontinued in June, a recent report sheds light on the challenges that Google and Samsung are encountering in their joint endeavor to launch a mixed reality headset. 

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The Google logo is seen during the Google I/O annual developers conference at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California on May 10, 2023.

Google Mixed Reality Headset With Samsung Facing Setbacks

The Verge recently unveiled a fresh report indicating that the tech giant's joint venture with Samsung to introduce a mixed reality headset is also encountering obstacles.

Named Project Moohan internally, the rumored device aims to deliver an immersive mixed reality encounter propelled by the capabilities of the Android platform.

Sources indicate that this endeavor has been in development since last year, aligning with the earlier, somewhat fuzzy announcement from Google, Samsung, and Qualcomm about their collaborative intent to create a mixed reality platform. 

However, Project Moohan has metamorphosed into a "complex challenge" within the corridors of Google. Sources reveal that this collaboration has tilted the balance in favor of Samsung, potentially granting the company a substantial say in determining product attributes.

Insider sources noted that Samsung seems hesitant to share comprehensive project details with Google's other hardware divisions due to concerns that these divisions might endeavor to develop a competing product.

Google Giving Up the AR Headset?

The reins of control over the project seem to be gradually shifting to Samsung's hands. The company has reportedly chosen to delay the initiation of headset production, a decision influenced by Apple's unveiling of the Vision Pro.

As a result, it is possible that the new headset might not grace the market until the middle of next year. Despite the delay, a fraction of Google's workforce appears skeptical that the allocated time frame is sufficient to render the device truly exceptional.

An employee told Insider that the timeframe certainly does not provide adequate leeway to rival the Vision Pro. This setback is another blow to Google's ambitions in the realm of mixed reality, a domain that once encompassed concepts like real-time text translation spectacles. 

While Mark Lucovsky, a frontrunner in AR software, recently announced his departure from the company, Google doesn't appear to be relinquishing its aspirations regarding AR glasses entirely.

Read Also: Xiaomi Mi VR Play Headset Officially Debuts: Beefed-Up Google Cardboard Alternative? [Video]

Other Projects of Google

Google is delving into the potential fusion of AI with AR glasses and also embedding the software from Project Iris into a venture titled "Betty." 

This new endeavor aims to construct a Micro XR software earmarked for presentation to manufacturers engaged in the creation of eyewear technology. Betty's approach could potentially be monocular, involving the projection of an image before a single lens.

Meanwhile, another project under the codename Barry is set to leverage the potential of both lenses. While the launch of Google's AR spectacles and XR headset might be on the distant horizon, this extended timeline could prove advantageous.

By observing Apple's developments from a distance, Google gains an opportunity to implement crucial refinements and adjustments.

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