Google Buries Its Cyber Glasses: The End of Google Glass Enterprise Edition
On March 15, Google stopped selling its Google Glass Enterprise Edition computer glasses, marking the end of an era in technology. While others are still trying to adapt similar products for themselves, Google has decided to move on from its futuristic glasses.
According to an entry in the support forum for the professional gadget, devices that are already in use by customers will continue to work. However, Google will no longer provide software updates, even if new errors are discovered. Faulty devices will be exchanged until September 15th, after which users will be on their own.
The same applies to the “Meet on Glass” app, which allows users to participate in online meetings via Google Meet with their glasses. Google has announced that there will be no more support for the app after September 15th, and it's possible that the app will stop working altogether after that date.
When Google first presented the cyber glasses in the summer of 2012, hopes were high that they would revolutionize the way information was handled. However, the glasses did not live up to expectations and failed to trigger a technological revolution. Despite the efforts of Google co-founder Sergey Brin, who famously wore the glasses in public to generate interest, developers were only able to order the gadget much later.
It wasn't until 2014 that Google tried to sell the Google Glass, initially in small numbers to test its reception by the public. The gadget could be ordered online for $1,500, but data protectionists criticized the integrated mini camera, which could potentially take pictures unnoticed. A US cinema chain even banned the glasses from their cinemas. Sales were discontinued a few months later.
Google later released the Google Glass Enterprise Edition, aimed at companies, but it wasn't until four years later that the product was completed. Now, the product has been discontinued.
However, this is not the end for augmented reality glasses (AR), which display information in the real environment. Two years ago, the US Army ordered 120,000 Hololens data glasses from Microsoft, worth $22 billion. And for Google, the topic is not yet closed. Last year, the company announced that it would publicly test the prototype of a new model.
There are also rumors about data glasses that Apple is said to be working on. These rumors surfaced before Apple's developer conference WWDC last year and have not abated since. If the rumors are true, it's expected that the iPhone group will present its high-tech gadget this summer.
While the future of AR glasses remains uncertain, it's clear that the end of Google Glass Enterprise Edition marks the end of a chapter in technological development. Despite its failure to revolutionize the industry, the Google Glass will be remembered as a pioneering product that paved the way for future innovations in wearable technology.