What Went Wrong With Google Glass Enterprise? Inside Look At The Discontinued AR Project

Despite high hopes, Alphabet Inc.‘s GOOG GOOGL Google Glass Enterprise project has ended, leaving many wondering what went wrong with this augmented reality technology. 

What Happened: On Wednesday, Google announced that it halted sales of its Glass Enterprise smart glasses and planned to discontinue its software support on Sept. 15.

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Initially released in 2013 for $1,500, Google Glass was a lightweight wearable device with a transparent display to show users small bits of information, reported CNBC.  

However, the product’s built-in camera caused privacy concerns and the device never caught on as a mainstream consumer product, eventually leading Google to position it as a tool for enterprises. 

In 2019, Google released its latest hardware version for $999. 

"I can confirm we will no longer be selling Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2," a Google spokesperson told Benzinga via email, adding, "We remain deeply committed to AR. For years, we've been building AR into many Google products and we’ll continue to look at ways to bring new, innovative AR experiences across our product portfolio." 

Why It’s Important: Google’s decision to retreat comes at a time when competitors such as Apple Inc. AAPL and Meta Platforms Inc. META are investing in augmented and virtual reality. 

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has publicly revealed his aspirations for a Google Glass-like final form for the company’s smart glasses product line. The company has already released a Ray-Ban smart glasses product that features a camera but no display, the report noted. 

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