The Wearable Revolution Will Not Be Televised: Google Pulls Glass

For anyone who has actually worn Google Glass, the news today will not be a surprise, but as The Wall Street Journal reports, Google will stop selling the initial version of Glass to individuals after January 19thand is moving it from the Google X research lab to be a stand-alone unit reporting to Tony Fadell, a former Apple executive who heads Nest Labs.Analysts remain confident it will be a cajillion dollar business at some point in the future (along with Apple Watch).

As The Wall Street Journal reports,

Google Inc. is making big changes to its troubled Glass wearable-computing project, giving a former Apple Inc. executive oversight of the initiative as the Internet giant grapples with the best way to expand from its software roots into hardware.

Glass is moving from the Google X research lab to be a stand-alone unit led by Ivy Ross. Ms. Ross and her team will report to Tony Fadell, a former Apple executive who heads Nest Labs, the smart-home device company Google acquired for $3.2 billion in February 2014. Mr. Fadell will still run Nest, but he also will oversee Glass and provide strategic guidance to Ms. Ross.

The changes usher in a new strategy for Glass that will shun large, public tests of hardware prototypes in favor of the approach used by Apple and Nest, which develop consumer gadgets in secret and release them as fully finished products.

Google released the first version of Glass in April 2013 to people who applied to test the $1,500 Internet-connected eyewear through its Explorer program. Just over a year later, the device went on sale to the general public, butsales were small amid privacy complaints, technical shortcomings and a lack of obvious uses.

*  *  *
Have no fear though...

Google plans to release a new version of Glass in 2015, but it hasn't been more specific about timing.