Google has announced that it will discontinue the enterprise version of its augmented reality (AR) glasses, Google Glass Enterprise, after a decade-long run. Sales of the device were halted as of Wednesday, but support will continue for another six months. Google stated that broken devices can be replaced via the existing process until September 15. Third parties are responsible for maintaining their apps, and no further software updates from Google are planned. Despite generating plenty of curiosity and publicity, Glass never gained traction among users, partly due to a design that made it look like a gadget rather than a fashion accessory. Additionally, the device’s ability to take photos and capture videos without others knowing about it contributed to its lack of popularity. The original Explorer Edition cost $1,500, while the Enterprise Edition 2 did not get much cheaper ($999) and did not offer much over the original version.
Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2, released in 2019, would help “businesses further improve the efficiency of their employees,” Google said. Big tech companies are still pursuing the concept of head-mounted visualization technologies, variously called smart glasses, augmented reality glasses, virtual reality glasses, and even mixed-reality displays. While there is disagreement about how to label any particular device, industry observers commonly say that while VR presents a completely digital environment to the user, AR…
Article from www.computerworld.com