Google Glass consumer launch pushed to 2015, developers beginning to lose interest

Since its initial unveiling more than two years ago, one of the biggest questions surrounding Google Glass has been its commercial viability. Reuters today has published a report, yet again questioning the long-term success opportunities of Glass. Sergey Brin, the head of Google’s X Lab which is responsible for Glass, was seen this weekend in public not wearing a pair. The Google executive remarked that he had left his pair in the car when asked by a reporter.

Brin stepping out in public without Glass only adds more fuel to the claims that the product is not taking off as Google had expected. Developers are also starting to question the success of Glass, with many developmental teams stopping support for it. There are more than 100 apps on the Glassware store, but Twitter, for instance, recently ceased support. “If there was 200 million Google Glasses sold, it would be a different perspective. There’s no market at this point,” said Tom Frencel, the Chief Executive of Little Guy Games. Little Guy Games recently halted its development of a Glass game, as well.

Google has also recently lost some of the talent working on Glass. Lead developer Babak Parviz, electrical engineering chief Adrian Wong, and director of developer relations Ossama Alami have all recently departed from Google.

As far as a Glass consumer launch goes, Google says that it is still working as hard as ever towards that goal, but a Reuters source says that it will not happen until 2015 now.

“We are completely energized and as energized as ever about the opportunity that wearables and Glass in particular represent. We are as committed as ever to a consumer launch. That is going to take time and we are not going to launch this product until it’s absolutely ready,” Chris O’Neill, Glass Head of Business Operations said.

Google, of course, is continuing to promote glass, primarily in the work market. The company recently launched the Glass at Work program, hoping to get the device into the medical and manufacturing fields. Despite this, developers and investors still remain uncertain about Glass.