Google Glass revives as Project Aura after its initial product release failed in the consumer market. Now, Google is hiring former Amazon engineers and developers to work on Project Aura, its new wearable tech initiative.
Business Insider told the reasons why Google Glass was not received well in the market. Google reportedly stopped selling the device due to issues raised by customers resulting to a declined interest. The $1500 head-gear was perceived as too bulky and expensive.
Another issue is privacy. Google Glass can discreetly record videos in public places, a feature most consumers are unhappy with because it invades individual privacy.
In response, Google rebrands the Glass project under a new name, Project Aura. It is described in LinkedIn profiles as "Google Glass and Beyond". The main goal of Project Aura is to kick-start Google's development of wearable technology, says a report by 9to5Google. Project Aura provides a way for Google to enter the wearable tech industry and rival Microsoft, Apple, and Facebook.
Project Aura is expected to remain under Google to allow collaboration with the Big G's other advanced technology programs like Soli and Cardboard. It is not yet determined if Project Aura will integrate virtual reality like the Cardboard and Facebook's Oculus.
According to Wall Street Journal, Google recruited laid-off engineers from Lab 126, Amazon's research branch that focused on hardware development. Lab 126 created the Fire smartphone which miserably failed, leading to mass lay-offs of the research division's employees.
Among them is Dmitry Svetlov, a software development manager from Lab 126 and is currently working with the Project Aura team. Svetlov's LinkedIn profile says that the team is "building cool wearables". Employed also on Project Aura is Max Ratner, a former Apple member who worked on the iPhone.
Ivy Ross, former head of the Glass Project, also runs Project Aura. Aside from reviving the Google Glass headgear, the team is also tasked to develop other wearable technology.
Despite the seemingly unproductive Google Glass project, Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt does not want to give up on wearable tech since it is a vast, fresh market. In fact, Google Glass has been marketed to enterprises in the medical and manufacturing fields, known as Glass for Work or Google Glass Enterprise Edition.
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