Google's Sergey Brin Explains Why The Google Glass Was A 'Mistake' And Failed

Last Updated:May 22, 2025, 15:50 IST

Google Glass was a costly failure and Brin admits the mistakes he made but he feels that 2025 will be different for the smart glasses.

Sergey Brin launched the Google Glass in 2013 to much fanfare

Google Glass is getting a rebirth of sorts thanks to GenAI and Android XR that will be powering the new smart glasses in 2025. Sergey Brin, co-founder of Google was part of the big Google Glass launch event in 2013 where he showed the first iteration of the wearable and in some ways the future of the segment. 

However, the Glass failed to move beyond the internal and developer tests, not least because of the hefty price tag. Fast-forward to 2025 and Brin feels this time things are different, which is why he is optimistic about the Glass 2.0 version thanks to the rise of artificial intelligence via Gemini for his company. 

Brin was an expected visitor of a fireside chat on the sidelines of the Google I/O 2025 in California this week, where he seemed eager to speak to the public and get his views out. 

Lessons Learnt 

Brin was quoted saying that he has learned a lot which is why he is confident about things being different this time around. Brin was obviously going to be quizzed about the scope of Android XR that will be powering the next-gen smart glasses for the company. 

And he pointed out that the rise of GenAI has given them the reason to bring back the idea of Google Glass albeit in a new form and function. Brin seems heavily invested in the glass segment, and he is pleased that the new smart glasses will not have that thing (camera) in front like the original Google Glass. 

But he is conscious about the fact that besides the lack of AI and the ‘technology gap’, the first-gen Google Glass suffered from his limited knowledge about supply chains and how to price them reasonably in the market. 

Past mistakes are surely going to work in Google’s favour especially with Brin back at helm in some capacity. And the promise of Android XR with Gemini shows the company might be onto something practical like the Meta Ray Ban smart glasses.

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News tech Google's Sergey Brin Explains Why The Google Glass Was A 'Mistake' And Failed