Alphabet is finalizing its acquisition of smart glasses startup North. This led many to believe that Google Glasses may soon be a reality.
North is a Canadian startup known for its Focals by North smart glasses. The startup is finalizing its $262 million acquisition deal from Google’s parent company Alphabet. The news sparked speculations that the tech giant is once again working on its doomed Google Glasses.
Is Alphabet working on Google Glasses?
Word around the community is that Alphabet is busy stripping North’s technology. This means that the tech giant might be salvaging any technology that it can implement into the Google Glasses. Rumors also claim that Alphabet is looking into North’s wide-range of patents on augmented reality eyeglasses.
Smart glasses were once the darling of the tech community. Many believe that smart glasses will usher the way from handheld devices to wearable devices. However, despite its promise, the technology did not catch up, and many promising techs were forgotten.
Alphabet buying AR smart glass maker North. 👓😎 #Alphabet #North
Why is Google Parent Company Alphabet buying AR smart glass maker North? https://t.co/zVrspmsN3o pic.twitter.com/qIySw35GdF— Android Infotech (@AndroidInfotec) June 30, 2020
One promising piece of hardware was Google Glasses. With Google on top of the development process, many believe that it will be the breakthrough device for smart glasses. However, due to fitting and compatibility issues, the device did not catch up.
The acquisition of North did spark interest in smart glasses once again. However, some analysts believe that it might be a far-fetched notion that Alphabet will release a new device soon. It is important to note that Google just released its Glass Enterprise Edition 2 more than a year ago.
Problems with smart glasses
One of the many problems faced by smart glasses developers is fitting issues. According to reports, North is finding it hard to design a product that fits Asian and African-American customers. There are also issues with people who have longer eyelashes and those with different nose bridge shape.
In short, facial structure is one of the most common problems faced by many smart glasses. Even Google Glasses faced the same issues during its early days.
Functionality is also a big issue for many smart glasses. Most of these devices are only capable of receiving notification and are unable to receive any input from users.
Lastly, some safety advocates have pointed out that smart glasses pose serious risks, especially when driving. Devices like Google Glass can distract its user’s attention and would result in an accident. Despite these shortcomings, the tech community is still looking forward to the release of smart glasses.
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