In 2021, Google is developing Project Starline, an enterprise teleconferencing platform that uses 3D imaging, cameras, and custom-designed screens to let you talk to someone more or less as if you were in the same room. It has started.
After years of testing and private technical previews (and development setbacks due to departmental restructuring), Google is now partnering with HP to bring Starline to customers.
In a blog post published ahead of Google I/O, Google said it will work with HP to begin commercializing Starline in 2025. Google is also working on integrating Starline with popular video conferencing services such as Zoom and Google Meet, the company said.
“This is an important step toward a world where people can connect and collaborate wherever they are,” Project Starline general manager Andrew Narctor said in a statement. “We will provide more details later this year.”
Project Starline is Google's attempt to make conference calls a more enjoyable experience.
As my colleague Brian Heater wrote about the real-life experience last year, Starline is still more of a virtual experience, but it can probably trick your brain into believing it isn't. The problem is that with many workplaces transitioning to a fully in-office structure post-pandemic, Starline, which initially seemed primarily targeted at hybrid offices with remote workers and frequent meetings, has many The question is, is there a demand for it?
According to research from Resume Builder, 90% of companies with office space will return to the office by 2024. Despite the fact that research has not been able to draw definitive conclusions about the productivity of remote workers, the perception among many, especially senior executives, is that: In technology, working from home is a failed experiment.
But there are probably some customers who can justify Starline just by having virtual meetings between offices. In fact, Google announced last year that WeWork, T-Mobile, Salesforce, and about 100 other enterprise partners were testing prototype versions of the technology.