Describe Technology: Why Google Glass was Unsuccessful?

GOOGLE GLASS
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Why Google Glass was Unsuccessful
Google sought to revolutionize the tech industry by bringing a cutting edge technology wearable to the mass market. The project dabbed ‘google glass’ featured a wearable glass that had a camera and a visual/audio driven user interface that could help the user to accomplish more tasks on the go. Whilst it seemed like an ingenious idea, the project performed dismally and it was cancelled by google. It is interesting to find out why one of the products once known as the ‘Best invention of the year’ had bowed out of the market CITATION Har13 \l 1033 (McCraken, 2013).
Wearable technology has become a new potential lead in the tech industry and all big corporations are diving into it, hoping to become the business leaders.Snapchat unveiled similar wearables later and they also flopped begging the question, are these companies’ products just a market hype but no real value in the product. This trend, however, seems to have died out and most of these products seemed to have failed in commanding a significant market share worth more investments. Here are some of the key reasons why the product failed to meet the company’s expectations.
Wearable technology is still a new phase of the tech industry and the mass market is not ripe for ‘freaking recording products.’ Most people like personal space and they are really concerned about being recorded by strangers or other people join the road. Much of the hype surrounding these products does not cover the fear of people being secretly recorded. Thus, the people avoid products that seem to affect their social lives and answering unnecessary questions of the devices they were wearing. People using these products were not allowed to use them in theatres and other public places like casinos where the people did not appreciate secret filming.
The people are not also comfortable with carcinogenic products around their heads. The glasses were negatively publicized to cause radiation that could lead to cancer and other related complications like brain tumors. Having the product wrapped around your head and face almost all the time raised questions about safety of use and operation. Though the glasses were approved for utility, most people stayed away from them citing safety concerns.
Google glasses did not have an apparent use, which could be tied to the $1500. Those who purchased them were Google explorers and tech enthusiasts who were just curious. The product lacked specificity in what it wanted to achieve and seemed not to solve any real issue. Thus, the people just purchased them to be ‘cool’ and unique rather than for a specific need. Usability of the product also seemed incomplete and likely a prototype rather than a finished product. As CITATION Jay13 \l 1033 (Yarrow, 2013) described it, a ‘ product plagued by bugs.’ The price tag coupled with the lack of practical benefits and usability issues led to the miserable failure.
Concisely, wearable technology is a significant market for the future and most companies are desperate to break the market. However, for google it was a miscalculation that consumed their re...