It was one other powerful day for the tech sector yesterday, with Google asserting a brand new spherical of lay-offs, and slashing a whole bunch of roles from a number of divisions.

As reported by The New York Occasions, the majority of the cuts had been amongst these engaged on Google Assistant, with the corporate now seeking to re-shape the device round AI, and reduce some parts.

However one other fascinating level of be aware was this:

“Google mentioned that a lot of the {hardware} cuts affected a staff engaged on augmented actuality, know-how that mixes the true world with a digital overlay.”

Whereas Apple and Meta are advancing in the direction of making AR an even bigger focus, with Apple’s first Imaginative and prescient Professional headsets to go on sale from February 2nd, Google’s now seemingly taking a step again.

May that imply that Google has fallen behind within the AR race, and it’s now conceding that the opposite tech giants have outdated it?

Amid difficult market circumstances, the massive gamers are being compelled to make some powerful calls about their future bets, with Snap Inc. additionally reassessing their longer-term plans resulting from impacts within the digital advertisements sector.

However AR does look set to have a giant second, within the very close to future, and as such, it’s fascinating to see Google doubtlessly deprioritizing it, particularly contemplating the alternatives that it may present for discovery merchandise.

Certainly, over the previous couple of years, Google has shared a number of glimpses of its potential worth in an AR future, and the way digital overlays may complement Google’s core Search merchandise.

In 2022, Google even shared an outline of its personal, in-development AR glasses, that are nonetheless seemingly in testing.

Google’s additionally been experimenting with numerous new initiatives as a part of its ARCore mission, together with AR video games.

In 2020, Google even partnered with Snapchat for an interactive tackle its ‘Yr in Search’ traits overview, and with all of this, it has appeared like AR might be a logical extension of Google’s numerous parts, and as such, could be a key focus for the corporate transferring ahead.

The newest cuts don’t essentially imply that it received’t be, however it’s fascinating to think about why Google could be scaling again on this space, on the cusp of the following stage of the tech.

Along with the pending Imaginative and prescient Professional launch, which can introduce extra individuals to those immersive experiences, Meta’s additionally planning to start actual world testing of its AR glasses prototype this 12 months.

With a lot occurring, it will appear to be Google must be digging in, but it surely’s scaling again as a substitute.

Which appears odd, and naturally, there could also be extra to it that we are able to’t know. But it surely might be that Google has determined that AR merely received’t be as huge part of its future plans.

It’ll be fascinating to see the way it all develops, and the way Google appears to be like to combine AR parts as they emerge. At one stage, I had speculated that Google might be a suitor for Snapchat, and will increase its AR performance by way of acquisition, which may nonetheless be on the playing cards, although given the broader cuts, that does appear unlikely.

But it surely’s fascinating to think about what Google’s focus might be, and the way it will look to construct across the subsequent tech traits.