The Google Glass experiment as we know it is coming to a close, as reports surface that the company will no longer be selling the current iteration of its smart glasses.
However, future versions of the product may be developed by a different division — Google says its still committed to getting a model of smart glasses out there as a consumer product.
For now at least, the current ’Explorer’ program, and all sales of Google Glass, have been put on hold.
Launched in 2013, Google made every effort to get Glass into the consumer marketplace but it never made it past the prototype stages. Growth of the product was held back by public perception of both how it looks and functions, as well as its hefty price tag.
Google is sending out emails to those who have purchased Glass, affectionately referred to by the company as “Explorers”, thanking them for their patronage and ensuring them that Glass still has a future.
“Since we’re focusing all our efforts on the future, we’ll be closing the Explorer Program on January 19. We realize you might have questions about what this means for you. New feature development on the Explorer Edition will stop while we work on the next version of Glass, but you can still call or email us anytime with questions, thoughts or feedback.”
The future of Glass will see the development team moving out of the Google X division and become a separate entity, lead by its current manager Ivy Ross. The team will report to Tony Fadell, CEO of Nest which was acquired by Google last year.
Will the vague promise of a future for Glass do anything to quell the disappointment no doubt being experienced by Glass owners the world over?
I doubt it, but why don’t you tell me. If you bought into Google Glass how do you feel about this news? Do you believe there really is a future for the product?
