Google has had some problems with its attempt at wearable gadgetry, known as Google Glass. Earlier this week, the tech company announced that it would no longer sell the original Google Glass and was working on a new, more useful pair of them. And others in the tech industry weren't fans, including Apple's director of marketing.
When Google released images of the Google Glass in 2012, everyone had their opinions on the device and how practical it would be in the long run. Abdel Ibrahim of The Tech Block wrote a short post comparing a photo of Sergey Brin of Google wearing Google Glass to a picture of Steve Martin's character in "The Jerk" wearing a pair of glasses that he invented.
Ibrahim emailed the post to Phil Schiller, Apple's marketing chief, and got a very interesting response. Business Insider was able to get access to the emails, and posted them on Friday. Schiller told Ibrahim, "I can't believe they think anyone (normal) will ever wear these things." Schiller then went on to compare Google Glass to "video goggles," which, according to Schiller, people were marketing like crazy in 2010.
What's interesting is how right and how wrong Schiller was. The Google Glass never caught on with a larger crowd. This failure was, in part, because of an extremely high price as well as a lack of compatibility with everyday life. However, Schiller probably did not expect the rise of the "video goggles." CES 2015 featured many wearable devices, including the Oculus Rift and Sony's wearable HDTV.
Will the Google Glass ever reach a point of popularity in which the mainstream market will adopt it as normal? At this time, analysts won't say. But reports, including this piece by the Washington Post, are already coming out about how Google is restructuring the project. But it's uncertain whether the market will pick it up.
