Google Glass Sales Halted as Group Goes Back to the Drawing Board
— -- Google Glass, the futuristic eyewear that made everyday people look like cyborgs, has been discontinued as the team behind the technology goes back to the drawing board.
Google announced today in a blog post that it is shutting down its Explorer program and that the last day for individual consumers to purchase the computer-equipped glasses will be Jan. 19.
"Glass was in its infancy, and you took those very first steps and taught us how to walk. Well, we still have some work to do, but now we're ready to put on our big kid shoes and learn how to run," the Google Glass team said in a blog post.
The company is expected to continue selling its Glass at Work devices, which have been used everywhere from at sporting events to in operating rooms.
Today's announcement also included restructuring plans, which will move Glass from the Google X research lab to a separate group, which will report to Tony Fadell, the CEO of Nest Labs, which the technology giant acquired last year for $3.2 billion.
Whether Google Glass will become a technology relic or rise from its slumber remains to be seen.
Google said the plan is for the group to "build for the future," and promised new versions of Glass will be available down the line.
