Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2 Suffers Same Fate As Consumer AR Glasses

Google has officially announced the end of its Glass Enterprise Edition 2, with support for the smart glasses ending later this year. Google Glass was first revealed in 2013, with its second-generation model launching in 2019.

Google began its smart glass venture with the idea of producing an ever-present computer that allowed the person wearing them to communicate with the internet via voice commands. The first iteration, which launched in April 2013, came at a high cost of $1500. The glasses met immediate backlash from consumers due to concerns about privacy, safety, and cost.

Following the outcry from consumers, Google shifted its focus on its glasses to the business sector by launching Glass Enterprise Edition. The smart glasses were aimed at applications like factories or for surgeons where an AR mix could provide benefits. The second generation was built with the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR1 hardware platform.

Even with the shift from consumer AR glasses to business and enterprise smart glasses, it seems Google Glass never found a home where it could flourish. The company released an official note on its Google Glass website, letting its current customers know that support will end on September 15, 2023, and that there will no longer be any software updates for the platform.

The official note began, "Thank you for over a decade of innovation and partnership. As of March 15, 2023, we will no longer sell Glass Enterprise Edition."

It is important to note, third-party developers could still choose to update their applications responsible for business-specific tasks and that the headsets will continue to operate past the deadline for support by Google. This could provide a glimmer of hope for companies that have bought into the platform. However, those that use the "Meet on Glass" app may see it diminish after September 15th, as it is only guaranteed to work until that date.

While Google Glass may be coming to an end, Google still has its Google Lens to focus on. Google Lens is an AR app on both Android and Apple smartphones that can be used for rapid text translation, identifying animals and plants, and other real-time searches.