In late 2021, Google hired Meta’s AR operating system head to lead a similar effort for an “innovative AR device.” Mark Lucovsky has now stepped away from that with a rather scathing indictment of Google’s commitment to and vision for AR.
Lucovsky is no longer “Senior Director of Engineering, responsible for OS and Software Platform for AR and XR devices” at Google.
“Recent changes in AR leadership and Google’s unstable commitment and vision” were cited. The former is presumably in reference to Clay Bavor leaving Google earlier this year, while a report late last month revealed that Google kept changing the development strategy for its Iris smart glasses before killing the project entirely at the start of 2023.
Notably, Lucovsky left Meta around the time that company decided to stop developing a brand new operating system for its virtual reality headsets and later augmented reality glasses. Instead, Meta decided to keep using its Android-based VROS to conserve engineering resources.
Following Bavor’s departure, AR efforts were moved into Hiroshi Lockheimer’s Platforms & Ecosystems (Android, Chrome/OS, etc.) division and Rick Osterloh’s Devices & Services (Pixel, Nest, Chromecast).
Top comment by Arthur
It's becoming more apparent over time that Sundar really needs to go and new leadership instated. Not only has he axed so many projects and teams the last several years but the company as a whole seems so uncertain over the direction of things and Sundar doesn't seem to have a clear direction over the company's future and where investments should be made.
We don’t know what Lucovsky’s group was working on, but the earlier Iris report described a “micro XR” software/OS for glasses. It’s unclear whether that ran Android or was the AR/XR OS Lucovsky was working on. Previous job listings called for an “Understanding of [the] Linux kernel and driver model” and “Experience with real-time operating system (RTOS) development.”
As far as departure messages go, Lucovsky’s tweet is pretty damning, and calls into question Google’s commitment. It’s certainly a far cry from Google ending I/O 2022 by highlighting its commitment to the new form factor.
Google has already said it’s working with Samsung on Android XR and to expect more this year.
Thanks Philip!
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