14 DAY TRIAL // Google has decided to end sales of its Glass eyewear starting next week, with various sources close to the company’s business explaining that poor sales are among the main reasons for this turn of events.
Google Glass, which has always been considered a rather expensive device as it was available for about $1,500 (€1,350), will become the responsibility of a completely new team, as the Mountain View-based search company is looking at a different management to help resurrect one of its most “promising” projects.
According to the BBC, Google Glass will remain alive within the company, but the new team in charge of the project will be supervised by Tony Faddell, the CEO of Nest Labs, a company that was purchased by Google last year and which will now help create a second-generation Glass.
Demo units no longer available
Google Glass is no longer available in stores worldwide as well, so in case you were looking to try one for yourselves, no such option exists anymore.
The same aforementioned report claims, however, that Google is working at full speed on a new similar device, but no timing has been provided for a second-generation Glass.
Fadell’s new team “will focus on ‘future versions of Glass’ with work carried out by a different division to before,” BBC wrote, and at least a prototype could see daylight later this year. It’s not yet clear whether the new Glass could also launch in final form by December 31, 2015 or not.
Heavily criticized since launch
While poor results are said to be the main cause of Google’s decision to put sales on halt for the time being, it appears that the company wasn’t really satisfied with the criticism received since the device first hit the shelves.
Beside privacy concerns, many people have said that Google Glass wearers look just stupid with such a device on their face, so there’s no doubt that the negative perception of the eyewear affected sales in one way or another.
Even though the world might not be prepared for such a device right now, Google is ready to give it another try with a new Google Glass version, so we’ll have to wait and see how this one goes.