Google teases standalone AR glasses with an unknown release date
Google had a whole slew of hardware to announce atGoogle I/O 2022, including thePixel 6a, thePixel Watch, anew Tensor-powered tablet, and atease of the Pixel 7, but it probably surprised everybody by teasing a new pair of wearable glasses that are all but Google Glass reincarnated, 10 years after it initially saw the light of world at Google I/O 2012. The new glasses will make it possible to add subtitles to the world around you, which Google pitches as a great tool for those hard-of-hearing or those who are separated by language barriers.
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Sundar Pichai took the stage at the end of the event to say that “it’s important we design in a way that is built for the real world and doesn’t take away from it, and AR gives us new ways to accomplish this.” He continued that language is fundamental to connect with one another, so in a situation where you can’t understand someone else, be it due to loss of hearing or due to language barriers, youcanrely on your phone as a translator, but it would be much better to have an unobtrusive translator you can just wear — like a pair of glasses.
In a video demonstration, the company showed an unusual family, consisting of a mother who only speaks Chinese and a daughter who only speaks English. For them, an unobtrusive device that transcribes and translates what each other is saying is a game changer, given that it can help them focus on the conversation itself rather than an app on a screen. Another demonstration showcased a deaf person, explaining how a device like this is “something I’ve been waiting for,” given that it makes it much easier for her to participate in conversations.
Google leans heavily into the language angle here, making its new teased glasses a product laser focused on translation and accessibility. It looks like the prototype glasses don’t include a camera, which would eliminate the biggest concern people had with the original Google Glass back in 2012. In the meantime, a lot of other companies have brought out smart glasses of their own, like Snap with its clearly camera-focused Spectacles. Interestingly enough, these didn’t generate the same outrage, so it’s possible that Google saw the opportunity to try the form factor again. After all, the wearable glasses market is still wide open, with little to no competition.
Google hasn’t announced any further details on the product during the keynote, with translations and captions the sole demonstrated feature. It’s clear that the glasses are still in an early development stage, much like theProject Starline video conferencingthat it teased last year and then this year again. Given the track history of Google Glass, it’s also possible that this device will never see the light of day in its current form, though we would love to be proven wrong.
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