Google Glass reportedly now called ‘Project Aura’

Google has renamed, and plans to relaunch, its notorious Google Glass Internet connected eyewear under the moniker Project Aura, according to a report by Business Insider.

As a result of some LinkedIn sleuthing, BI uncovered that three of its new engineers — from Amazon’s Lab126 hardware research arm — all list “Project Aura” in their profiles,  describing it as “Google Glass and Beyond.” The effort seems to have mobilized in June, with some targeted Google job postings.

Project Aura is distinct from Project Ara, the company’s modular phone concept.

BI reports that Google is planning to continue Glass development in conjunction with related wearables and technologies with new hires Amir Frenkel, Tina Chen and Dima Svetlov from Amazon and Max Ratner from Apple. All joined Google over the summer, and additional hires are expected.

According to the report, Project Aura will remain within Google as opposed to being spun off into the new Alphabet company or folded into the Nest business. For the time being, it appears that Nest CEO Tony Fadell will continue to oversee the project.

Google stopped selling the much maligned $1,500 Google Glass wearable to the public earlier this year. The device, which among other things let users record video, had raised a host of privacy concerns.

Google still sells Glass to businesses and is reportedly working on an updated enterprise version.

Google has not commented on the reports, but we have sent a query their way and will update the story if and when we get further information.

➤ Google has hired a bunch of engineers from Amazon’s Lab126 for a new wearable tech initiative called ‘Project Aura’ [Business Insider]