Google has stopped work on Project Iris, its augmented reality headset project. The company made this decision recently. Google will now focus on building software for AR glasses instead. This change is part of a bigger plan to save money. Google wants to be more efficient across all its teams.

(Google Abandons Project Iris, Shifts Focus to Software for AR Headsets)

Project Iris aimed to create standalone AR headsets. The project was active for about a year and a half. Google formed a large team for it. The team worked on the hardware and software together. Now, Google is ending the hardware development. The company believes creating the hardware itself is too costly right now.

Google sees more value in the software side. The company will build an AR platform for other manufacturers. This platform will power AR glasses made by other companies. Google already works with Samsung and Qualcomm on other projects. This new software focus fits with those partnerships. Google wants its software to run on many different devices.

The shift means moving people to other teams. Many employees from Project Iris will join the Android and Chrome teams. These teams are working on the new AR platform. Google also has other AR projects. These include software tools for AR experiences on phones. The company thinks software is the smarter path for now.

(Google Abandons Project Iris, Shifts Focus to Software for AR Headsets)

The market for AR glasses is still developing. Big companies like Apple and Meta are also working in this space. Google faced challenges making its own hardware profitable. The company decided software offers a better chance for success. Google wants its AR technology to reach many people. Partnering with other hardware makers helps achieve that goal. This move reflects Google’s strategy to leverage its software strengths.