Google I/O 2022

Google’s pitch for AR glasses: live, universal translation

In a short demo video at its developer conference, Google showed off prototype AR glasses with live Google Translate built-in.

Alongside revealing the new Pixel 6a, Pixel 7 and 7 Pro, Pixel Buds Pro, and Pixel Watch at Google I/O 2022, Google demoed an even more impressive gadget that’s even further off: The company’s second attempt at AR glasses.

Google

Google didn’t share much about the glasses other than they use Google Translate for their language abilities and they seem to work surprisingly well.

Keen-eyed observers will note the glasses themselves look a fair bit like the smart glasses former startup North put out — before it got acquired by Google.

Things have clearly improved since then, but cast your mind even further back and you might remember Google once teased similar voice translation plans for its first AR glasses, Google Glass.

San Francisco Chronicle/Hearst Newspapers via Getty Images/Hearst Newspapers/Getty Images

“That potential is what gets us most excited about AR: the ability to spend time focusing on what matters in the real world, in our real lives. Because the real world is pretty amazing! It’s important we design in a way that is built for the real world — and doesn’t take you away from it.”

Google CEO Sundar Pichai

Google didn’t share any hard details on its AR project

But with competition heating up from Snap, Meta, and soon-to-be Apple (according to rumors), don’t be surprised if we learn more soon.

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