Google kicked off the smart glasses trend over a decade ago. Unfortunately, the ambitious idea failed to take off back then. Some say it was a little ahead of its time, while others couldn’t look past the specter of privacy intrusion. But it looks like an emphatic comeback is on the horizon.
According to Bloomberg, Google is in advanced stages of discussion to acquire AdHawk Microsystems, a company that specializes in selling full-stack eye tracking technology already available atop the wearable form factor.
“The technology giant intends to buy the Canadian startup for $115 million, according to people with knowledge of the matter,” says the report. Interestingly, Meta — which is already deep into the smart glasses segment with products such as Aria, Orion, and Meta Ray-Ban — was planning to scoop the company in 2022.
Why AdHawk is an apt target?
AdHawk counts Essilor Luxotitca among its investors. Essilor Luxottica is the parent of Ray-Ban, which makes the popular camera-equipped AI glasses in collaboration with Meta. Other investors in AdHawk include HP, Samsung, and Intel.
Beyond investment partners, what matters is the tech stack. In 2024, Mindhawk introduced the MindLink Air smart glasses equipped with eye-tracking technology.
It’s day two of #ETRA2024 and we’re showcasing our eye tracking technology in action!
From now until June 7, you can stop by our table for a live demonstration of our all-day, camera-free eye trackers.
Watch as they follow your gaze across the room and across the page! pic.twitter.com/O1QTYXiXMk
— AdHawk Microsystems (@AdhawkMicro) June 5, 2024
“We use it to scan a beam of light across your eye thousands of times per second and then capture reflections from it to model all kinds of things about your eyes,” AdHawk CEO, Neil Sarkar explained to CTV News.
Eye tracking is one of the core components of XR gear, especially those with immersive Augmented Reality applications. Apple has implemented a sophisticated eye-tracking system on the Vision Pro headset. Meta’s Orion holographic glasses also rely on an advanced eye-tracking system.
Google isn’t hiding its ambitions
Over the past few years, Google has given some tantalizing glimpses of how it sees AI integrating into our daily lives. One of those ambitious ideas dwells atop the smart glasses form factor.
Last year, Magic Leap inked a deal with Google to implement the latter’s Gemini AI, Project Astra, Android XR, and Google Play app ecosystem atop a pair of AR smart glasses.
Google acquired another company named North Focals in 2020, offering a clear hint that it wasn’t done with smart glasses. At the I/O 2024 annual developers conference, Google demonstrated its most impressive vision for smart glasses with Project Astra.
Towards the end of 2024, Google also detailed Android XR, its best attempt yet at creating a full-fledged XR software ecosystem over Android foundations. “It represents a renewed commitment by the company to create an operating system that can drive headsets, glasses, and other form factors going forward,” Digital Trends’ Jason Howell wrote after trying the demo.
The market is also ripe for Google’s entry. Players like Solos, RayNeo, and TCL have been selling a bevy of smart glasses over the past few years. Meanwhile, new players such as Halliday and Even Realities have put some seriously impressive wearable gear on the shelves.
There’s little doubt that Google fumbled its chance, and its official entry to the smart glasses market is still undecided — and late, too. But its business targets — assuming the Bloomberg report is true — are a clear sign that smart glasses are very much on the company’s product horizons.