Google In Talks To Buy North

While Google Glass never caught on beyond the ultra-nerds back in 2013, Alphabet, the parent company of Google, has quietly continued to improve the smart glasses, which are being used today in a variety of business environments in such companies as DHL, Samsung, Sutter Health, and GE.

No longer concerned with the esthetics of selling the concept to consumers (for now) has left the current iterations of the handsfree device still quite unfashionable. That all may be about to change. Reports in technology forums and sites say a deal between Alphabet and North Focals is about to consummated with the Silicon Valley giant purchasing the Canadian startup for a reported $180 million.

North had stopped selling their original version last year after than lighter than projected sales of the originally $999, now $599 smart glasses. The glasses were fitted by a complex in-person 3-D rendering, which required the buyer to be close to either the Toronto or New York City retail stores. Recently North was able to use iPhone scans as well. While North never made it big, they better understand consumer needs with smart glasses and having Google’s army of engineers and deep pockets could be showing that Google is ready for another attempt to get consumers to see things Google’s way.