After a decade of hanging on, Google formally discontinues the final of its Glass headsets

Google just lately introduced that it will likely be formally discontinuing its Google Glass Enterprise Version AR headsets. Whereas lengthy out of the buyer market, the broadly publicized wearable laptop/heads up show was nonetheless being provided for potential enterprise clients. “Thanks for over a decade of innovation and partnership,” Google wrote in its announcement. “As of March 15, 2023, we’ll now not promote Glass Enterprise Version. We are going to proceed supporting Glass Enterprise Version till September 15, 2023.”

If you happen to’re in any respect like me, you noticed this information and thought, “Wait, Google Glass wasn’t discontinued like, eight years in the past?” Seems it is had this prolonged second life for industrial and medical settings for a while since.

Again in 2013 Glass was one other shiny promise of the Google Future alongside Chrome, Fiber, and its assist of Android OS. There was a much-publicized preliminary rollout of Glass headsets amongst tech journalists and fanatic influencers. Glass supplied a heads-up show and will additionally snap photos, and in some methods prefigures smartphone-adjacent wearables just like the Apple Watch or extra superior Fitbits.

It was additionally peak tech man, like pre-“oh my god, these guys are rewiring our mind chemistry with pervasive reactive promoting” and extra within the midst of “Haha, this Silicon Valley show is fairly humorous, I hope they’re smarter than this in actual life.” This Penny Arcade strip from the time actually stands out in my thoughts, and as Ars Technica factors out, calling Glass-wearers “Glassholes” actually was a factor. Easier instances, and as Google is wont with merchandise like Reader or Stadia, shopper Glass was quietly shuffled off the stage in 2015.

That is where Enterprise is available in, the wearable’s second act that is coming to an in depth. A 2015 Bloomberg article (readers might encounter a paywall) describes its potential use in a healthcare setting, whereas a 2017 submit on 9to5Google outlines the complete specs of Enterprise. It would not appear to have caught on any higher right here than it did for private use.

So, Google Glass. Most of us most likely thought it was already useless anyway, however it’s considerably bittersweet nonetheless, a failed product as emblematic of its personal time because the Dreamcast, HD DVD, or Betamax. We’re residing in a Silicon Valley future anyway, similar to it’s, however Glass appeared to vow a extra enjoyable one where all of us bought to be Geordi La Forge. Additionally it is humorous that this implies Stadia’s whole existence was bounded on each ends by Google Glass. The shuttered game streaming service simply cannot catch a break.