After a lapse of 10 years, there are many signs that Google's AR glasses project is showing signs of making a comeback.
In 2012, Google officially announced plans for the "Extended Reality" glasses project. In 2015, only 9 months after its release, the "short-lived" Google Project Glass (Google Glass) completely withdrew from the stage of history; after 8 years, in January 2022, the AR project of Google Project Iris was exposed by the media. Recently, there was news that "Google acquired Micro LED start-up Raxium for 1 billion, or provided display modules for its AR head-mounted display devices."
התעשייה מאמינה ש-Google כנראה עומדת להיכנס שוב-למסלול ה-AR. גוגל, שספגה הפסדים, נפלו סלטות ושילמה שכר לימוד, תהפוך קצת יותר חכמה כשה-תכנס שוב לזירת ה-AR הפעם?
היו סלטות גדולות על מסלול ה-AR
במסלול ה-AR, אם אפל היא שמרנית, גוגל היא רדיקלית גמורה. לפני שמונה שנים, גוגל שילמה הרבה שכר לימוד על ההקצנה שלה בגלל הפריסה המתקדמת של חומרת AR. באפריל 2014, גוגל הוציאה 1,500 Google Project Glass. לפי משתמשים שענדו גוגל גלאס, גוגל גלאס הוא כמו צג קטן שמולבש על העיניים. העדשה שלו היא כמו מסך תצוגת מחשב. הצג מידע, כגון מזג אוויר, דואר אלקטרוני וכו', והוא יכול גם לצלם תמונות.
בנוגע ל-Google Glass הזה, ישנם קולות מתמשכים של ספקות בתעשייה - העלות הגבוהה, היעדר יישומים, פגיעה בפרטיות וטכנולוגיה לא בשלה הם כל החסרונות הסובלים מביקורת.
Apple CEO Tim Cook has publicly stated that it is difficult to see the appeal of Google Glass, and "this AR wearable device will not be popular."
"How do you not look embarrassed when you wear it? How do you use Google Glass without breaking eye contact?" Meta CEO Zuckerberg asked after trying on Google Glass. Despite being skeptical about Google Glass, Zuckerberg said there would be an app for Glass in the future if possible.
לפני שצוקרברג התאים אישית את האפליקציה לגוגל גלאס, היא נמכרה רק לתשעה חודשים. בינואר 2015, Google Glass הופסק ופרויקטים קשורים הוקפאו.
"When Google Glass was launched, the related technology was very immature, and the commercial application logic was not yet formed." Weng Dongdong, a researcher at the Institute of Optoelectronic Information Technology and Color Engineering, School of Optoelectronics, Beijing Institute of Technology, said in an interview with a reporter from China Electronics News.
הלחץ להתחיל מחדש עדיין לא קטן
"The past is overwhelmed, and the future is a lesson." The short-lived Google Glass not only sounded the alarm for friends who coveted the AR/XR track, but also made Google understand that it is not advisable to deploy hardware ahead of time, and it needs to wait patiently for the technology and industry to mature.
Industry experts said, "Compared with 8 years ago, the recent technological and industrial maturity has improved qualitatively." This may be one of the reasons why Google chose to re-enter the game.
Taking the acquisition of Micro LED microdisplay company by Google as an example, its display effect has greatly improved compared with the solution 8 years ago. It is understood that Raxium, which is rumored to be acquired by Google, is a company focusing on the development of monolithic integrated RGB Micro LED microdisplays for AR/VR/MR device applications. Its customers include global technology leaders. In this regard, the industry interpreted it as "Google's intention is to plan to use Micro LED displays on its latest AR headsets".
מובן שלצג Micro LED יש את היתרונות של בהירות גבוהה, ניגודיות צבע, רזולוציה, חיסכון באנרגיה, דקה וקלה, והיא הפכה לבחירה במסך התצוגה עבור ציוד AR/VR מתקדם-. Vuzix, OPPO, TCL, Xiaomi ומותגים אחרים השיקו מוצרים ומושגים קשורים. מוצרים, יצרני מיקרו LED גם מקדמים ברציפות את התקדמות התיעוש.
Industry experts believe that Google, which has re-started this time, has obviously become smarter. "This acquisition of microdisplay companies starts from the upstream of the industry chain to help Google better grasp the performance and presentation effects of its products." Experts said.
Combined with the news that "Google's AR project codenamed Project Iris, the product is expected to come out in 2024", it is believed that Google has returned to the AR track this time. Judging from the information currently available to reporters, the future AR track technology bureau will be crowded with giants, even a little crowded. Except for Google, which has not officially announced the AR project, Meta, Apple, Samsung, Microsoft and other technology giants have successively disclosed that they are researching or will launch soon. AR glasses products, the AR glasses track is about to set off a hot war.
At the same time, experts also said that AR wearable devices have certain particularities. In addition to the reserves of technology and industrial chain devices, Google and other brands also need to make long-term layout and consideration, and the challenges they face are not small. "Compared with standardized electronic products such as mobile phones, watches, and headphones, AR glasses are more special." Weng Dongdong pointed out that due to the huge differences in the individual conditions of human eyes - face shape, eye distance, as well as myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, these will affect users There are individual differences in the same AR glasses. Therefore, consumers have higher customization requirements for products such as AR glasses, and manufacturers need to deploy and consider them in advance. Other experts boldly speculate that AR glasses may open a new chapter in customized consumer electronics.
