Project Astra joins Gemini arm as Google gears up for a public launch

bradypsnyder@gmail.com (Brady Snyder)
2025-03-06 16:03:00
www.androidcentral.com

What you need to know

Google is moving the Project Gemini team from the Google DeepMind group to the Gemini app umbrella.
The Gemini app now has a new VP, as ex-Meta VP Chris Struhar will lead the group.
Project Astra is set to launch for Gemini Advanced subscribers on Pixel phones later this month.

Project Astra began as one of Google’s more ambitious research projects when it was teased at Google I/O 2024 last year. Android Central tried it as part of a large demo setup, and the plan was always to scale that down to be able to run on Google Pixel phones. More recently, Project Astra has progressed, and Google is now planning to release it for Gemini Advanced subscribers on Pixel phones this month.

Ahead of that move, Google is making a few organizational changes for Project Astra, as announced internally today, March 6, and reported by 9to5Google. The team working on Project Astra will now be part of the larger Gemini app team, as Project Astra will soon be part of the multimodal Gemini Live. Previously, the group working on Project Astra was organized under Google DeepMind, the company’s research sector working on Astra and other projects, like Project Mariner.

While 9to5Google reports some parts of the Project Astra team will remain with DeepMind, the bulk of the Astra group will now be organized under the Gemini app team. Additionally, the team has a new head, as Chris Struhar is now the Vice President of Product for the Gemini app.

The company announced the ex-Meta VP will lead the Gemini app in a corresponding move today. Struhar will be reporting to VP and General Manager Sissie Hsiao, who leads everything Gemini and Google Assistant related.

Google's Project Astra lets testers point their cameras at items within its app to receive information about it.

(Image credit: Google)

When it releases later this month, Astra will add new multimodal capabilities to Gemini Live. Users will be able to share their live video feed and share their screen to get more personalized responses in real time from Gemini Live.

The next steps for Project Astra will be getting it to run on wearable hardware, including AR and VR applications. Google asked for “trusted testers” to join a Project Astra waitlist to test this kind of functionality at the end of last year.

Source Link

Keep your phone secure and easily accessible in your car with the Miracase Phone Holder for Your Car! This Amazon Best Seller is designed for easy installation and holds your phone firmly in place, ensuring a safe and convenient driving experience.

With a 4.3/5-star rating from 29,710 reviews, it’s a top choice for drivers! Plus, over 10,000 units sold in the past month! Get it now for just $15.99 on Amazon.

Start your free Amazon Prime trial
today and unlock unlimited streaming and more!

Help Power Techcratic’s Future – Scan To Support

If Techcratic’s content and insights have helped you, consider giving back by supporting the platform with crypto. Every contribution makes a difference, whether it’s for high-quality content, server maintenance, or future updates. Techcratic is constantly evolving, and your support helps drive that progress.

As a solo operator who wears all the hats, creating content, managing the tech, and running the site, your support allows me to stay focused on delivering valuable resources. Your support keeps everything running smoothly and enables me to continue creating the content you love. I’m deeply grateful for your support, it truly means the world to me! Thank you!

BITCOIN

Bitcoin Logo