Rita El Khoury / Android Authority
TL;DR
- The Google XR software program improvement chief, Mark Lucovsky, has abruptly left the corporate.
- Lucovsky criticized Google’s “unstable dedication and imaginative and prescient” within the area.
- The XR staff was blended into two different divisions, the identical that oversee smartphones, wearables, and so on.
The launch of Apple’s XR headset, often known as the Imaginative and prescient Professional, has thrown the trade into chaos. Allegedly, Samsung slapped a major delay on launching an XR headset it’s engaged on. On the similar time, Meta tried to outgun Apple by launching the Meta Quest 3 proper earlier than Apple unveiled the Imaginative and prescient Professional.
It seems the Imaginative and prescient Professional lightning rod has hit Google XR groups, too. In response to a self-penned tweet, Senior Director of Engineering — accountable for OS and Software program Platform for AR and XR units — Mark Lucovsky has left Google (h/t 9to5Google). Within the tweet, Lucovsky slammed the door on the best way out, metaphorically:
I’ve determined to step away from my function at Google, the place I used to be Senior Director of Engineering, accountable for OS and Software program Platform for AR and XR units. The current modifications in AR management and Google’s unstable dedication and imaginative and prescient have weighed closely on my resolution.
For those who can’t see the embedded tweet above, Lucovsky cites “Google’s unstable dedication and imaginative and prescient” as one of many greater the explanation why he determined to stop. These are robust phrases and make it clear that his departure was not amicable.
Google XR lead leaves the corporate
We don’t know a lot about Google’s AR/VR ambitions. We all know that Google and Samsung are working collectively to create…one thing. The 2 firms made an announcement as such throughout the launch of the Galaxy S23 collection. From what we perceive, Android is the idea for this explicit mission.
We additionally know that Google has a staff of individuals engaged on software program associated to XR techniques and that software program is probably going not primarily based on Android. It’s unclear if these groups are one and the identical or contain plenty of overlap. One factor we do know now could be that Lucovsky’s former staff has been merged below the 2 divisions that oversee the Made by Google merchandise. To be clear, that’s Hiroshi Lockheimer’s software program staff (Android, Chrome OS, and so on.) and Rick Osterloh’s {hardware} staff.
It’s additionally unclear how a lot of a setback Lucovsky’s departure is for no matter Google is planning. Judging from the short shift of Lucovsky’s staff into different divisions, it’s potential Google was as sad with Lucovsky as he apparently was with the corporate. That will be a possible rationalization for Google’s motion of the staff somewhat than selling another person to interchange Lucovsky.
Both approach, Lucovsky’s assertion makes it clear that issues aren’t going so easily with Google’s XR ambitions.
