Google’s Beam, a commercialized version of Project Starline, offers an immersive 3D video calling experience. The technology utilizes a custom AI neural network to stitch together 2D videos into 3D images.
Key Observations from the Demo
During a demonstration at Google I/O 2025, several issues were noted:
- Image Quality: Users experienced slight jittering and horizontal scanlines reminiscent of old TVs. An unnamed source indicated that "the technology is still in its early stages."
- Movement Limitations: Camera tracking and viewing angle restrictions limit user movement to a direct center view. Shifting gaze can lead to distortion and darkness, constraining how users interact within the virtual space.
- Display Quality: The light field display appeared grainy, even at high resolutions. Attempting to look around another person’s body resulted in empty space due to the lack of rear-angle capture by the cameras. The technology struggles with capturing images from multiple angles simultaneously.
- Lighting Conditions: Beam’s performance may degrade significantly in dim lighting, posing a challenge for users in low-light environments.
- Technical Issues: Prototypes demonstrated freezing issues, with one participant’s image freezing during the demo. These technical hiccups highlight challenges that Google must address before Beam can be widely adopted.
Concerns and Considerations
In addition to technical challenges, there are growing concerns regarding:
- Data Privacy: The potential for misuse of the technology raises questions about data privacy.
- Surveillance Risks: There are apprehensions about governments or other entities potentially using the technology for surveillance purposes.
As Google continues to refine Beam, addressing these issues will be crucial for its successful integration into everyday communication.
I’m Mark W. Lamplugh Jr., a visionary Chief Executive Officer, Board Member, and best-selling Author with over 25 years of experience driving significant revenue growth and optimizing ROI across the healthcare, wellness, and media industries. Throughout my career, I’ve consistently transformed underperforming operations into thriving ventures by building top-tier marketing organizations, implementing data-driven strategies, and leading transformational change. My empathetic, collaborative, and adaptable leadership style has allowed me to cultivate inclusive cultures of innovation, develop and retain top talent, and forge strong partnerships that fuel organizational success.
Adept in executive leadership, strategic business planning, and brand and marketing strategy, I have a proven track record of boosting annual revenues—achieving up to $1.3B in oncology over three years and generating $360M in mental health initiatives. My approach combines strategic vision with hands-on execution, as evidenced by my success in launching innovative facilities, expanding services for addiction and mental health care, and enhancing organizational brand visibility. As author of “The AI Marketing Playbook,” I contribute thought leadership on the integration of artificial intelligence in marketing, a role that showcases my commitment to staying at the forefront of industry innovation.
I also bring my insights and expertise to a broad audience as the host of cable tv & global streaming of “Street Level Marketing Show,” while my writing has been featured in major publications such as Entrepreneur, Business.com, The Startup, and Kivo Daily. Whether I’m implementing targeted digital marketing campaigns that engage over a million individuals monthly or overseeing multi-million dollar budgets to maximize return on investment, I approach every challenge with a combination of strategic planning, creative problem-solving, and unwavering dedication. Above all, I am passionate about expanding access to high-quality addiction and mental health care through innovative solutions that drive both patient outcomes and organizational growth.
Mark serves on the board of One World for Life, National Fire Heritage Center, and the Institute for Responder Wellness.
Mark (https://marklamplugh.com) is one of the top marketing executives in the United States and has revolutionized how companies reach potential clients thru influence, SEO, social, PR, and traditional marketing. His expertise in Marketing, Social Media, Digital Marketing, and Public Relations has generated millions of dollars in revenue for several national companies. Mark documents many of his techniques in his book “Beginners Guide to Social & Digital Media.” and “Marketing Playbook for Social Media,” which was named the top 100 social media marketing books of all time by Book Authority. He’s also a professional advocate for the behavioral and mental health of firefighters and other first responders. Marks articles have been published in Better Marketing, Startup Magazine, Social Media Today, Kivo Daily, Biz Catalyst 360, Fire Engineering, Firehouse Magazine, and several others.
One of his companies, niches, are marketing products and services to the public safety industry and their employees, specifically mental & behavioral health services. He can be reached for comment at ceo@influencemediasolutions.com
23,000 #1 Connections, 40,000,000 US B2B Contacts and 300,000,000 B2b/B2C email contacts as well as 1,000,000+ monthly social media reach. https://marklamplugh.com
