Page 86 - July-August 2020

GOOGLE BUYS

SMART GLASSES COMPANY

OWNER OF FOCALS

GOOGLE's

ACQUISITION
OF CANADIAN
COMPANY
NORTH SIGNIFIES
ITS SECOND Glass Enterprise Edition, released in 2019, is once again seen as a
FORAY INTO utilitarian product of value to corporate clients. In use as a headset
in areas such as precision engineering, for instance, it allows
SMART GLASSES workers to see wiring diagrams while working on the assembly
FOR THE MASS line. However, due to practical limitations in terms of design and
MARKET lightness it is not considered as stylish eyewear.
The latest news is that Google has acquired Canadian company
North. While North was ready to launch its second-generation
Focals, its augmented reality glasses, it cancelled the release in
T he first smart glasses from line with this new development.
Google, launched in 2013,
The North team will continue to work in Kitchener, Ontario,
aroused curiosity in tech
circles without quite reaching the Canadian company’s hometown, relocating to Google’s
already existing office there.
beyond that. Its Google Glass does
exist, limited to use in healthcare, The acquisition from North was confirmed on 30 June through
such as in the operating theatre. a blog post by Rick Osterloh, Google’s SVP of devices and services:
The second version, the Google “North’s technical expertise will help as we continue to invest in

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