Ex-Apple iPod chief Tony Fadell to oversee Google's Glass project after reorg

Posted:
in General Discussion edited February 2015
Former Apple executive Tony Fadell --?known colloquially as the "father of the iPod" --?is set to take over Google's Glass augmented reality project as the search giant reorganizes the stumbling wearable team.




Current Glass chief Ivy Ross will remain as the team's manager under Fadell, who will lend "strategic guidance" to the project, according to the Wall Street Journal. Fadell will continue to lead Nest, the connected home company he co-founded and sold to Google last year.

The existing Glass Explorer program will be terminated as part of the changes, which include moving the project out of Google co-founder Sergey Brin's Google X incubator. Developer kits will remain available, however.

Google is said to be planning a more Apple-like approach to product development going forward. Rather than running open beta tests, as it does with its software projects, the company will continue hardware development in secrecy and only make finished devices available to consumers.

Glass has been beset by trouble since its unveiling, primarily because many consumers rebelled against the idea of companions with a camera constantly attached to their face. That led to the coining of the term "glassholes" for those who wore the device in social situations.

Google attempted to right the ship by positioning Glass as a fashion accessory, going so far as to strike a partnership with designer Diane von Furstenberg. The company even began construction of a series of massive barge-borne "floating showrooms" for glass, which --?perhaps tellingly --?were eventually scrapped before hosting a single visitor.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 63
    mubailimubaili Posts: 453member
    and iOS father Scott Forstall in charge of Android.
  • Reply 2 of 63

    Google has too much money to waste.

     

    Dead cat bounce, at best.

  • Reply 3 of 63
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,712member
    Seems Google Nest isn't needing him now.
  • Reply 4 of 63
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,153member
    Seems Google Nest isn't needing him now.
    "Fadell will continue to lead Nest, the connected home company he co-founded and sold to Google last year."
  • Reply 5 of 63
    anomeanome Posts: 1,531member
    Maybe they'll be able to come up with some uses for Google Glass, finally.
  • Reply 6 of 63
    xixoxixo Posts: 450member
    anome wrote: »
    Maybe they'll be able to come up with some uses for Google Glass, finally.

    First thing he'll do is rename it "iGlass"...
  • Reply 7 of 63
    nick29nick29 Posts: 111member
    Hey at least they tried something different, didn't add up though. Interesting to compare Google Glass vs the Apple Watch as the two most notable wearables these past two years. The latter hasn't even been released but its virtually guaranteed to sell a 100 million units, even in a worst-case scenario.
  • Reply 8 of 63
    john.bjohn.b Posts: 2,742member

    Now he'll be known colloquially as the "father of the glassholes".  <img class=" src="http://forums-files.appleinsider.com/images/smilies//lol.gif" />

  • Reply 9 of 63
    What's Fadell going to do, add a clickwheel? That'll make it less socially awkward and intrusive. /s
  • Reply 10 of 63
    mpantonempantone Posts: 2,030member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Anome View Post



    Maybe they'll be able to come up with some uses for Google Glass, finally.



    No, the market has to find the Google Glass features useful. Google can't just arbitrarily create a use.

     

    At some point, I would think this device (or something similar like the GoPro cameras) will have enough functionality to be used by classes of users, like police, firemen, paramedics/EMTs, security guards, airport staff, and others.

     

    Remember, decades ago, the need for a "personal computer" was highly disputed. Even computer experts said that the average person didn't need one, that there would only be a handful of computers on the planet.

     

    Similar doubts were expressed about mobile telephones and that they would only be needed for emergencies, etc. Now they are used for selfies.

     

    Let's face it, consumer technology like Google Glass is on its way, and the initial strong pushback is typical. In time, many people will accept much of the new technology's intrusion acceptable. Sure, some people will still hate cellphones, CDs, etc., but the majority of people will understand that the devices can be used properly or used improperly, a judgment call by the individual operator. That's a grey line.

  • Reply 11 of 63
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by anantksundaram View Post

     

    Google has too much money to waste.

     

    Dead cat bounce, at best.


     

    Do you think those cards are starting to collapse?  lol

  • Reply 12 of 63
    dewmedewme Posts: 5,312member
    Google Glass likely has more potential uses in manufacturing and industry rather than in consumer use, for now. Bring out Google Contacts and that'll change the game.
  • Reply 13 of 63
    It still boggles my mind how Google found Nest to be worth $3.2 billion.
  • Reply 14 of 63
    nofeernofeer Posts: 2,427member
    I wouldn't want to be part of a new dictionary addition
    Glassholes
    They are hated In public
    Scorned at bars and eating joints
    Brings out peoples angst
    And privacy fears
    People comment that they walk out of establishments where they are seen
    Bad side of technology
    Now who wants to be a developer for more mess??
  • Reply 15 of 63
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,153member
    anome wrote: »
    Maybe they'll be able to come up with some uses for Google Glass, finally.
    This coincides with Glass 2 slated for release this year. Hopefully Google won't be so public with the development as they have been and take a cue from the way Apple is developing their watch: Behind closed doors with only limited details released as they are needed.
    http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/wearable-tech/3589338/google-glass-2-release-date-price-specs/

    The assignment of Mr Fadell can be chalked up to Google moving Glass out of the xLabs and into a stand-alone project.

    According to a Google spoke person there's no change in the day-to-day operation will be continue to be run by Ivy Ross with Fadell taking control of the overall vision (pun intended :D ) Google will not become part of Nest nor is Fadell giving up his responsibilities there.
  • Reply 16 of 63
    maestro64maestro64 Posts: 5,043member

    I though this was a dead product after people using them were found to be getting headache and such. I guess google it willing to take on the "Jerk" type lawsuits that will come later.

     

    Google is good at hiring people who were not the originator behind the ideas they are buying. They think that Fadell was the master mind behind the ipod. We all know it was Jobs which made it a success. He is going to end up the same way Rubin end up, managing special projects (maybe glasses is the special project) until they can figure out how to get rid of him. Yep, nest is turning big dividends for google.

  • Reply 17 of 63
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    Nest is having issues integrating dropcam. What the heck is Fadell going to do with Glass. Seems to me this is stroking someone's ego more than anything.

    http://www.strictlyvc.com/2014/11/12/unrest-nest/
  • Reply 18 of 63
    anomeanome Posts: 1,531member
    mpantone wrote: »

    No, the market has to find the Google Glass features useful. Google can't just arbitrarily create a use.
    That's not how marketing works. If Google can't make a compelling argument as to what need this thing will fulfill, people aren't going to look at it in the first place, let alone pay for it. They have to find some way to hook people in initially. Later, people will come up with uses that Google didn't explicitly advertise, but if they can't get enough people to buy it to get to that phase, it will die.

    It's also not how engineering is supposed to work. You don't build things for the hell of it, and then hope someone comes up with a use later. You build it to do something.
  • Reply 19 of 63
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,153member
    Google has a page up explaining the news.

    https://plus.google.com/+GoogleGlass/posts/9uiwXY42tvc
  • Reply 20 of 63
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    And in other news, Samsung just hired the head of Tangerine, a design consultancy. Jony Ive was the 3rd partner in that firm before he was hired by Apple.
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