The sale of Google Glass has officially stopped. More than ten years after its introduction, the connected augmented reality glasses had never managed to convince the general public. Back to a mishap.
It’s definitely over for Google Glass. The “Enterprise Edition”, the last surviving version of the famous augmented reality connected glasses, is nearing the end of its useful life. A very short official press release announces the end of production for this product.
«Thank you for over a decade of innovation and collaboration. As of March 15, 2023, we will no longer sell Glass Enterprise Edition “, we read. However, we learn that software support for existing models is provided for a few more months, until September 15, 2023. Above all, we realize that, from start to finish, Google Glass It will have had an atypical history.
The failure of Google Glass
Google Glass was announced with great fanfare in 2012, and the founders of the Mountain View firm, Larry Paige and Sergey Brin, pinned high hopes on it. Augmented reality glasses then garnered all the attention and aroused both enthusiasm and concern, questioning our future uses of the technology. However, after the release, the commercial success was never there with the general public.
« Despite Google’s efforts to find them a task or situation in which they would be indispensable, mythey didn’t do anything really useful“Bluntly comments a former senior official who experienced the failure of Google Glass from the inside. Over the years, glasses will never fall into total oblivion, but they will cease to arouse real interest.
In 2017, augmented reality glasses returned to the market, but later they were dedicated to professionals. In 2019, a second generation of Google Glass Enterprise Edition will even see the light of day. TherehypeHowever, as of 2013 it is already just an old memory at that time.
A story out of time
Finally, the history of Google Glass has always been against the clock. In 2013, glasses were ahead of their time. Today, its demise comes as all the technological players come to life around augmented reality. Information about the long-awaited Apple Glass abounds while connected glasses stole the limelight at MWC 2023. This setback is undoubtedly what best characterizes the industrial and commercial life of Google Glass.
However, don’t think that Google is simply abandoning augmented reality products. In 2022, the firm was still talking about prototype tests for new models of connected glasses. It’s a safe bet that behind the scenes, the American giant’s teams are already busy around a new project. so as not to fall behind the competition. For that, it was probably necessary to put a cross on Google Glass. Bye bye.
Our colleagues from Numerama launch Watt Else, their newsletter dedicated to the mobility of the future. Sign up here to make sure you receive the next issue!