Old school.

Google Glass is a textbook example of the phrase: “awesome idea, awful execution.”

When Google announced that they would be creating a piece of hardware that put the power of technology in front of your eye, the world started to get excited. They then proceeded to shoot themselves in the foot until they ran out of bullets.

For the low low price of $1500, early adopters (collectively referred to as “Explorers”) would be able to purchase their very own pair of unattractive, overpriced eyeglasses.

Aside from the price, the main complaint was the fact that Google Glass users could surreptitiously record video of people who probably didn’t want to be recorded in the first place.

With the proliferation of smartphones, Snapchat (don’t even get us started on their AR glasses), and drone-mounted cameras, these days people are more used to the idea of being filmed without their explicit consent.

Dan Kaplan paraphrased the problem quite well: “Google Glass is a breakthrough concept, but it involves wearing a camera on your face, saying things like “OK, Google,” out loud, and walking around like it’s cool to do those things in public.”

Furthermore, Google’s design of the actual hardware was terrible. While this design was likely a result of the limits in technology at the time, some more effort to make them at least somewhat resemble a normal pair of eyeglasses would have been warranted.

On top of that, onlookers were plagued with the feeling that Google Glass was being treated as a side project. There was virtually no effort by Google to create their $300 pair of glasses that they promised for so long.

To use a quote from Jurassic Park,

“Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should.”

Aside from filming people without their consent (or creating bootleg recordings in a cinema), there was no clear purpose for buying a Google Glass.

The world was much different back then. While Snapchat’s attempt to break into wearable tech had a warmer welcome than Google’s, their offering also fell flat - but for another reason which we’ll get into in a later article.

I'm just waiting for the day when they turn Vegeta's Scouter into a real thing.

If you want to see a company who is doing smartglasses right, check out Lucyd. Only two weeks left to participate in their ICO.

Why Did Google Glass Fail?

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