After Reports Of Canned AR Glasses, Google's XR Ambitions May Be Just A Daydream Without Samsung
Google has reportedly shelved a multi-year project that sought to commercialize an AR headset, known as Project Iris. Provided the report is true, it appears Google will now need to rely on Samsung to compete with Meta and Apple in XR.
According to Business Insider, Google shut down Project Iris earlier this year following mass restructuring, which included layoffs, reshuffles, and the departure of Clay Bavor, Google's head of AR and VR. The report, which hasn't been substantiated by Google, cites "three people familiar with the matter."
According to a report from The Verge earlier this year that first mentioned Project Iris, around 300 people were purportedly working on the headset, which was said to expand by "hundreds more" as production ramped up.
At the time, the prototype was said to be a standalone, ski goggle-like headset providing onboard power, computing, and outward-facing cameras for world sensing capabilities—similar in description and function to headsets like HoloLens or Magic Leap. Project Iris was said to ship as early as 2024.
Two unnamed Google employees told Business Insider the company could actually resurrect Project Iris at some point, as teams experimenting with AR tech haven't been completely disbanded. Still, it seems its Samsung XR headset partnership and AR software development has become the main focus.
Samsung Future, Daydream PastWith its own in-house hardware allegedly no longer in the picture, moving forward Google is set to focus on the software side of AR, which also includes an Android XR platform it could license to OEM partners. Google is now developing such a platform for Samsung's upcoming XR headset announced in February, as well as an alleged "micro XR" platform for XR glasses, which is said to use a prototyping platform known internally as "Betty."
Google is pretty well known for shelving projects all the time for a variety of reasons, so it's not a big surprise that an expensive hardware project is getting iced during an economic downturn. It's also possible the company saw the writing on the wall from its earlier VR hardware projects, which were early to the competition, but not persistent enough to stick around.
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In 2016, the company's Daydream VR platform was positioned to compete with Meta's (then Facebook's) own mobile VR offering, Samsung Gear VR. Headed by Bavor, the company looked to replicate Samsung/Meta's strategy of certifying smartphones to work with a dedicated Daydream View headset shell and controller. Google certified a wide swath of smartphones to work on Daydream, including Pixel, LG, Asus, Huawei, and even a number of Gear VR-compatible Samsung phones.
And Google's ambitions were, let's say, very big. At its I/O 2016 unveiling, senior product manager Brahim Elbouchikhi said on stage that Google intended to capture "hundreds of millions of users using Daydream devices." No modern VR headset platform has reached that number of users even today, with Meta likely leading with the sale of nearly 20 million Quest headsets between 2019 and early 2023.
Lenovo Mirage SoloPhoto by Road to VRDespite big ambitions to own the space early on, Gear VR became the clear winner in the nascent mobile VR market. Undeterred, Google broadened its horizons in 2017 to open its Daydream platform to one of the first truly standalone VR headsets—or rather a single standalone headset—the Lenovo Mirage Solo standalone, which awkwardly mashed up 6DOF positional tracking with a single 3DOF controller. Lenovo Mirage Solo was a real head-scratcher, as its room-scale content was hobbled by a single remote-style controller, which critically wasn't tracked in 3D space.
In the end, Google shuttered the entire Daydream platform in 2019 because it couldn't attract enough developer support. On the outside, that makes it seem like Google lost the VR race entirely, but a majority of standalone headsets on the market today run on top of a modified version of Android. Granted, that standalone VR content revenue isn't flowing into Google's coffers since it doesn't control the individual storefronts like it might with a VR version of Google Play.
But that could change with its new Samsung/Qualcomm partnership, representing a fresh opportunity for Google to finally stake a claim in the mounting mixed reality (MR) race.
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MR Headsets Walk, AR Headsets RunMR headsets are virtual reality headsets that use color passthrough cameras to offer up an augmented reality view, letting you do VR things like play games in a fully immersive environment in addition to using passthrough to shoot zombies in your living room, or watch a giant virtual TV in your real-life bathroom (for optimal user comfort).
It's still early days for MR headsets. While devices like Meta Quest Pro ($1,000) and Apple's recently unveiled Vision Pro ($3,500) are likely to appeal to prosumers and enterprise due to their high price points, there's a mounting battle for consumer eyeballs too. Provided that still-under-wraps Samsung XR headset can land at a digestible price for consumers, its brand name cache and patented global reach may serve up strong competition to Meta's upcoming Quest 3 MR headset, due in September at $500.
Apple Vision ProImage courtesy ApplePrice speculation aside, the companies that launch MR headsets today will be better positioned to launch all-day AR headsets in the future. Platform holders like Meta are using their MR headsets today as test beds to see what AR content consumers find most compelling. Apple will be doing just that when it launches Vision Pro in 2024 at arguably an even deeper level, as the Cupertino tech giant seems to be deemphasizing VR stuff entirely.
Whatever the case, Google's decision to reportedly shelve Project Iris means it'll be more reliant on OEMs in the near term, and its first volley with that Android-supported Samsung XR headset will reveal the size of its ambitions. It's a strategy that could work out in its favor as it critically gauges when, if ever to resurrect its own Google-built AR glasses. With Apple and Meta both staking serious claims though, it needs to solidify that strategy sooner rather than later.
How To Play Google's New AR Space Invaders Game On Android And IOS
Space Invaders turns 45 this year – and rather than honor the game with a simple Google Doodle, the search giant and its original developer Taito have instead made a new AR-powered shoot 'em up for your Android or iOS phone.
The Space Invaders: World Defense game, which was announced at Google IO 2023 in May, is now available to download from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
As it's an AR (augmented reality) game, this new version of Space Invaders is an outdoor-only experience and asks you to shoot down its familiar aliens as they appear from behind the rooftops and buildings around you.
Like Pokemon Go and other AR games, you also get to compete on the high scores tables with other players in your neighborhood – and given the game only came out today, there's a good chance you'll rise to the top of the rankings.
Google says the game isn't just plastering cartoon aliens onto your camera's view either – it also adapts to your real-world environment, including your location, time and weather.
Because it's been built on Google's ARCore platform, which first landed in 2018 and doesn't require any special hardware, Space Invaders: World Defense also runs on most phones (including iPhones), although tablets sadly aren't supported. Here's how to get cracking with Google and Taito's new retro time-sink.
Once you've downloaded Space Invaders: World Defense from either the Google Play Store (for Android) or Apple App Store (for iPhones), the setup process is pretty quick.
Hit 'Start Game' and you'll be taken to a bunch of privacy and data agreements, followed by an approval page for location tracking. While not essential, it's also a good idea to plug in some headphones for a slightly more immersive alien-shooting experience.
You'll then be presented with your 'Mission Brief', showing your location and weather, before being asked to track a spacecraft around your real-world environment to calibrate the game. Once you've done this, you'll have to stay in that spot or you'll be presented with a "you're too far away" error message until you return.
(Image credit: Future)As you'd expect for a Space Invaders game, the action itself is pretty simple. The game has to be played with your phone in portrait orientation. Keep an eye on the edge of your screen for arrows pointing to the aliens, then drag the crosshairs over them to start shooting them down.
You score points for shooting down aliens – get enough of these and you'll progress to the parallel invader dimension of the game, where your path is set and you simply have to focus on gunning down aliens.
After a few warm-ups, you'll quickly be troubling the High Scores tables, which will also reward you with special bonuses and power ups. Just bear in mind that it's best to avoid playing near rivers and roads, lest you get a bit too excited about aliens and forget about the real-world dangers lurking around you.
Mirrorscape's New AR Tabletop Platform Could Enhance Your D&D Campaign
Yet another virtual tabletop (VTT) tool has joined the fray, giving Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder and tabletop role-playing gamers alike a new augmented reality experience.
Mirrorscape, a mixed reality and gaming development company, announced the open beta launch of its app, letting users experience their favorite tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs) in AR.
The new VTT app launches at a time when many players are shifting away from the typical pen-and-paper play and transitioning to digital gaming — whether by creating character sheets on D&D Beyond, hopping on Discord/Zoom to play with long-distance friends or using services like Roll20.
Mirrorscape aims to shake up traditional tabletop as well as VTT gaming with its technology, allowing users to enhance their game session with AR, build 3D maps, roll digital dice, chat with fellow party members and more, all on one platform.
The app is available to download for free on the App Store and Google Play Store. A PC version is launching in the coming months.
Similar to other companies in the same space (Ardent Roleplay, Spatial and Tilt Five), Mirrorscape's most significant feature is its building capabilities. The customizable platform provides game masters (GMs) with a toolset for creating an animated world of their dark and twisted dreams, from dimly lit dungeons to small villages overrun by orcs.
At launch, Mirrorscape provides access to around 50 already built maps, which can be purchased in the store section within the build tab. Individual digital items, such as miniature figures and terrain, range from 99 cents to $4.99.
The app includes a free starter kit, including approximately a dozen or so free maps, a few basic structures like cavern walls, cobblestone floors and doorways, along with five free minis, including a dwarf, a barbarian and a huntress. Hero Forge users can link their digital mini for free.
In addition to Hero Forge, the company partners with major game publishers and model manufacturers Paizo (Pathfinder and Starfinder), Reaper, Fat Dragon, Dwarven Forge and many others.
Mirrorscape offers two types of playing modes. Players can either view the map in AR mode — where they point and look through their phone cameras to explore the landscape — or 3D mode, which takes place in virtual rooms such as "Forge's Tavern," featuring a cozy fireplace and mugs of mead, and "The Hall of Heroes," a candlelit room that pays tribute to fallen adventurers.
There are only two virtual rooms available at launch, but the company plans to launch more in the near future, Eric McIntire, the company's brand manager, told TechCrunch.
Both versions come with POV mode, where party members can click on an eye icon to look at the world from their characters' perspective.
Image Credits: Mirrorscape
After testing the app, we found that 3D mode was the most difficult to navigate, especially when zooming in and out or trying to look at the map from a different angle. It's recommended that users turn off "Center Pivot" in the top-right menu to avoid a frustrating experience.
The AR mode is the most ideal for more interactive experiences. For instance, if a dungeon master wants to create an engaging atmosphere to pair with augmented reality, they can tell their players to go outside and turn on POV mode so it feels like they're walking through an actual cavern. (Similar to Pokémon GO, where players can look through their cameras and discover a Roselia in their very own garden.)
"Imagine all the players actually meet up in person and go outside," McIntire said, painting one possible scenario. "[The GM] can watch from inside as they walk around his dungeon, and he narrates in their headsets, 'You start to smell burning sulfur, death and decay.' And they walk around the corner and see zombies that he's got moving towards them."
Another interesting tool that GMs may appreciate is the ability to conceal certain spaces on the map. For instance, if they want to hide a room where a monster is waiting for its moment to strike, the GM can tap on an area and watch it disappear. Co-founder and COO Donald Bland mentioned to us that, eventually, users would be able to scan a physical, handwritten map with their camera, which would then upload as a 3D version on Mirrorscape.
Other features include a journal option to keep track of dice rolls and a messaging feature. The company is working on bringing effects to the app, such as lightning bolts for when a sorcerer casts a spell.
However, Mirrorscape lacks one important element. The app currently doesn't offer a character sheet feature for D&D players to refer back to their ability scores, proficiencies, equipment and so forth. Many players use their phones or desktops to look at their sheets, so to have to constantly switch tabs would probably take them out of the immersive experience that Mirrorscape is designed for.
McIntire mentioned that a character sheet option is a "work in progress."
For now, iOS device users can mirror share their screen to a compatible smart TV or Mac and use a separate device to view the character sheet. Android devices can also mirror their screen to the TV. Players using an iPad can opt for the multitasking feature, but this option might be distracting as the separate tab would partially block the screen.
Mirrorscape isn't solely designed for private game sessions; it's a tool for Twitch streamers as well. Soon, content creators will be able to share a QR code with viewers for them to scan, download the app and be immersed in the same digital world as their favorite streamers.
"When [viewers] look at their living room tables, the pieces are moving digitally on their living room table as the players are moving them physically. So, you could actually experience that 3D physical build as though it's happening in front of you," McIntire explained.
McIntire loosely calls this "presentation mode," which can have thousands of people join a single session, in turn helping creators boost their engagement and following.
For reference, the Mirrorscape team played a test session on Twitch, which can be viewed on YouTube.
Donald Bland (left) and Grant Anderson. Image Credits: Mirrorscape
The company was co-founded in 2020 by Grant Anderson (CEO) and Donald Bland (COO), veteran D&D players who met while working at Sony. The duo has an extensive background in technology and entertainment, particularly virtual reality and 3D production.
"Augmented reality was just starting to emerge and was perfect for tabletop gaming," Anderson told us, who first came up with the idea for Mirrorscape. "I wanted to create something that really gives you that feeling of playing with your friends, and AR was the technology that could do that," he added.
Also, "True Blood" actor and hardcore D&D nerd Joe Manganiello is Mirrorscape's creative director.
"I am both excited and invigorated to be a part of the Mirrorscape team," Manganiello said in a statement. "Through their technology, I have seen the future of gaming and entertainment, and I am incredibly passionate about getting it into the hands of the public. It is going to blow minds and change everything!"
Mirrorscape appeared on Kickstarter in 2022 and raised nearly $500,000. The company also had a $2 million seed round led by TenOneTen Ventures and Ethos Fund.
It has since grown to about 7,000 beta users, the company said.
The company is in the process of developing Mirrorscape for compatibility with AR glasses and headsets, so gamers can play around with hand and eye tracking, further enhancing high-tech TTRPG sessions. For example, Mirrorscape leverages Qualcomm Technologies' Snapdragon Spaces program, which enables smart glass wearers to automatically detect tabletop surfaces and manipulate game pieces. The company also notes that its platform is running on Lenovo's AR glasses prototype.
The company hopes to make the platform available on VR headsets in the near future.
Although virtual tabletop games will never truly replace traditional TTRPGs, there's potential for them to become a trend as AR and VR technology continue to evolve. On top of that, GMs curious about the high-tech side of TTRPG play might love not having to hand-draw maps and painstakingly paint their own minis.
Updated 7/26/23 at 11:05 a.M. ET with the correction that Wizards of the Coast is not a Mirrorscape partner.
