Google Project Starline finally looks like it’s going to be rolling out to workplaces worldwide, potentially transforming the way we meet and collaborate in the future of work. When it was first announced, Project Starline was one of the first solutions to leverage holographic imagery and extended reality to reimagine face-to-face connections between remote participants.
Since then, we’ve seen plenty of companies experimenting with the potential of immersive collaboration. Microsoft has its Mesh solution, and Immersive Spaces on Teams, designed to pull people into powerful virtual experiences during meetings.
Apple has created a new form of video conferencing experience with its Persona solution for the Apple Vision Pro in an attempt to bridge the gaps between distributed workers. Plus, endless metaverse-style platforms are built to enable collaborative work in extended reality, including custom-built options enabled by metaverse-as-a-service vendors.
So, what is Google Project Starline, and what makes it different from the current solutions available?
What is Google Project Starline?
Google Project Starline was first unveiled in 2021 at Google’s I/O Conference. The company described the “technology project” as a system that would enable friends, coworkers, and families to interact as though they were sharing the same space, regardless of their location.
Google, like many technology vendors (and employees), noticed that video conferencing apps simply weren’t capable of replicating truly engaging face-to-face interactions. Project Starline was conceived to address this problem, bringing distributed people closer together.
The system uses advancements in AI, 3D imaging, and other XR technologies to essentially give users a “magic window” to the person they want to speak to. There’s no need to wear a headset or set of smart glasses like you would with other immersive collaboration tools.
Instead, you simply sit in front of the screen and interact with a 3D image of your colleague, rendered so realistically that you could almost reach out and touch them. Users will be able to talk, gesture, and make eye contact with the other person, just like they would when meeting face-to-face.
The Evolution of Google’s Immersive Tech
Over the years, Google hasn’t revealed much additional information about Project Starline, but the company says it has been investing thousands of hours into testing and refining the product. The first iteration, reviewed by a handful of testers, involved users sitting in a 3D video booth, where they would see a projection of the person they’re speaking to.
On the other side of the conversation, your contact would be sitting in a similar booth, seeing a 3D projection of you. At a glance, it looked a lot like a futuristic version of a phone booth from some sort of Sci-Fi movie. Since then, Google fit the technology into screens, with camera systems mounted on the top, making the technology more practical for standard conference rooms and offices.
Unfortunately, development setbacks, reorganizations in Google’s structure, and other issues have prevented Project Starline from bursting into the spotlight.
However, during Google I/O 2024, the tech giant announced that it now has a clear plan to bring this solution out of the shadows and into the workplace. The company will be working with HP to turn Google Project Starline from an AI and XR demo into a real product people can buy.
How it Works: Truly Immersive Meetings
Although a handful of industry experts have shared product reviews of the early version of Google Project Starline, we don’t know much about what the official product will look like when it arrives. Based on previous iterations, it certainly seems like Starline is going to revolutionize conferencing.
Rather than sitting at a desk and staring at a flat image of someone, you’re going to feel as though you’re sitting in front of a magic window with your colleague situated right behind them. The AI, 3D imaging software and XR technologies bolted into the system will give unrivaled depth to your contact’s face, background, and even their movements.
Google’s latest video demos of the Project Starline experience showcase a streamlined setup for the solution, similar to what you’d get from a standard desktop with a video conferencing camera. According to Google, the functionality of the solution lies heavily within its AI, 3D imaging, and XR software, so the amount of tech you’ll need to install should be relatively limited.
Right now, it’s difficult to know just how realistic the 3D renders of contacts using this software will be, even with Google’s videos. While it definitely seems like you’ll have a more natural human experience than you would leveraging one of Apple’s Personas for a conference, there may be some issues. For instance, depending on the quality of the screen and camera you use, and your bandwidth, lag and image quality may become a problem.
However, if it’s implemented correctly, Google Project Starline could really bring a new dimension to video conferencing. It would make people “pop out” of your screen rather than asking you to wear a virtual reality headset or interact with uncanny avatars.
The Benefits of Project Starline
It’s likely to be a while before anyone gets to test the latest version of Google Project Starline and explore its benefits. However, Google is positioning this solution as a revolutionary new form of immersive collaboration. Based on their own initial tests, Google says Project Starline will make meetings feel more human and help us forge deeper emotional connections.
For instance, Google’s research shows that people using Project Starline achieved a 30% increase in memory recall compared to using standard video conferencing tools.
Since you’re more “immersed” in the experience, it makes sense that you’d remember more of what happened during the conversation. It’s hard to let your attention wander when you feel like you’re speaking to someone face-to-face. Google also says that Starline users experience a 15% boost in visual attentiveness thanks to enhanced spatial audio and 3D rendering.
Additionally, Google’s data shows Starline conversations typically include 50% more nonverbal conversations, such as subtle gestures and expressions. This boost to nonverbal interactions could lead to better understanding and deeper connections between users.
Google Project Starline Release Date: When is it Coming?
So, when will Google Project Starline be available? We’re still not 100% sure. During Google I/0 2024, the company shared that it has spent thousands of hours testing the project with enterprise partners and in Google offices already. However, the system isn’t ready for purchase yet.
To get the technology ready for offices, Google is now working with HP, leveraging the company’s expertise in computing and investment in Poly’s unique collaboration solutions. According to Google, HP is uniquely positioned to take Project Starline out of the lab and elevate its value.
Ideally, the two companies hope to launch some of the initial commercialized versions of Project Starline in 2025, although they haven’t revealed an exact date. Google did say, however, that the solution will be available through HP products first, which makes sense.
The tech giant also noted that they’re working on enabling the experience within the collaboration applications teams already use, such as Google Meet and Zoom.
Will Google Project Starline Revolutionize Conferencing?
Google Project Starline definitely seems like a novel and interesting approach to enabling immersive collaboration for the future of work. Although the experience is still “virtual,” Google’s advanced technology can trick the mind into believing you’re actually interacting with someone face-to-face in a way other solutions can’t.
What’s more, it seems like you won’t need to invest in any cutting-edge light projectors or extended reality headsets to get that “holographic” meeting experience. This could mean that Project Starline is more accessible (and affordable) than other immersive collaboration systems for some companies.
The question is, will this form of immersive interaction be necessary in the years ahead? Many companies are already attempting to drive employees back into the office, reducing the need for extended reality solutions focused specifically on meetings and conferencing.
However, I still think there’s a lot of potential here. Remote and hybrid work are still popular in many industries, and XR solutions still give us a more powerful, immersive way to interact than standard video conferencing tools. Project Starline could be a powerful way for companies to revolutionize the way they strengthen connections between employees worldwide.
It could even open the door to a new form of XR customer service, allowing specialists to interact with customers like never before during sales and support conversations.
I’m excited to see what this innovation means for the future of work and how it inspires other transformations in the way we connect in the digital landscape.
