Simon Jones: Sad Stories

I admit it – I remember being excited by Google Glass. Back in 2013, when gadgets and smartphones meant something to people, I could see Google Glass fitting into everyday lives. But, because I need vision correction, not in my everyday life – unless a monstrous clip-on frame was deemed a suitable solution.

Google Glass was an abject commercial flop for many reasons, not least privacy concerns and looking a bit, you know, not very cool. But there was some potential in the functionality and once the size of componentry could be reduced, a decent looking smart eyewear frame was viable.

A few companies attempted to pick up the baton – Snap with its playful camera Spectacles (a bit toy-like) and North, with a functional projection unit for directions and messages (a bit utilitarian). But nothing really stuck and it was only when EssilorLuxottica teamed up with Facebook, did people start to take notice of smart eyewear.