As Google re-enters the smart glasses market, co-founder Sergey Brin acknowledged the company’s past missteps while expressing confidence that things will be different now.
According to CNBC, Brin surprised attendees Wednesday at Google’s annual developer conference, Google I/O 2025, in Mountain View, California.
Brin exuded strong confidence about Google’s unveiling of its new Android-based extended reality (XR) smart glasses, stating that it will depart from their previous attempts. He emphasized that advancements in generative artificial intelligence (AI) have paved the way for reimagining the Google Glass concept.
Google initially launched Google Glass in 2013 with a $1,500 price tag. However, the product faced significant hurdles, including privacy concerns due to its built-in camera and steep cost. Due to underwhelming performance, these challenges led to Google’s withdrawal from the smart glasses market in 2015. Now, a decade later, the tech giant is making a comeback.
Reflecting on the previous Google Glass launch, Brin admitted their numerous mistakes, including underestimating supply chain complexities and technological limitations. He recalled that the company didn’t fully grasp how challenging it would be to create smart glasses at a reasonable price. He added that he now has renewed faith in smart glasses, and I’m thrilled that Google is once again pushing boundaries in this field alongside excellent partners.
Brin visited the smart glasses experience booth during the event, trying on the new devices and showing genuine enthusiasm. He expressed optimism about the technology, saying that AI can offer valuable features without being intrusive to the user.