Google has finally killed off one of its most infamous product failures, the “Google Glass” wearable that promised a smart glass revolution but failed to deliver.
The tech giant announced last week that the enterprise version of Google Glass, the wearable computer-glasses that failed to find a market, will be discontinued.
Google boss Sundar Pichai is masked up ( Drew Angerer /Getty)
The company stopped selling new units as of March 15, with existing units to be supported with software updates through September 15, 2023.
Launched in 2013, the “smart glasses” aimed to revolutionize wearable tech for everyday consumers. The eyeglasses included a computer display, a microphone for receiving audio commands, and a camera to capture images and video.
The subject of massive hype from Google, the product ultimately failed to take off with consumers. In 2015, the tech giant stopped producing its Google Glass prototype, and in 2017 it switched to a focus on enterprise customers.
Via CNN:
First unveiled in 2013, Google Glass was initially marketed for a general audience, with the promise of giving people access to a computer on their face rather than having to pull out a phone. But the smartglasses were discontinued in 2015 after beta versions failed to gain traction due to its high price tag, clunky design and concerns about privacy.
Google then shifted the focus from consumers to enterprise. The first Enterprise edition of Glass, announced in 2017, was pushed for use in industries such as manufacturing and logistics. The Enterprise Edition 2, released in 2019, was Google’s last attempt at saving the Glass product. But the $999 product failed to catch on.
“Thank you for over a decade of innovation and partnership,” Google wrote on its FAQ page announcing the decision. The company will continue to support the phased out Enterprise Edition until September.
The discontinuation of the Google Glass enterprise edition brings an end to what was ultimately an expensive and public embarrassment for the tech giant, just like its failed Google Plus social network.
Allum Bokhari is the senior technology correspondent at Breitbart News. He is the author of #DELETED: Big Tech’s Battle to Erase the Trump Movement and Steal The Election.