Google acquires smart glasses maker, North

After being reported on last week, Google has officially acquired North.

In a blog post, SVP of Devices & Services, Rick Osterloh said, “Today we’re announcing that Google has acquired North, a pioneer in human-computer interfaces and smart glasses. They’ve built a strong technology foundation, and we’re excited to have North join us in our broader efforts to build helpful devices and services.”

Osterloh also added that “North’s technical expertise will help as we continue to invest in our hardware efforts and ambient computing future.”

In a joint statement on the company’s website, North’s co-founders said, “Over the last while, it became clear that aligning with Google would significantly advance our shared vision. This acquisition is a terrific fit for North and, importantly, we’re staying here in Kitchener-Waterloo. We’re proud to have grown our company in the Kitchener-Waterloo region and are thankful for the tremendous support we’ve received from the community. We are looking forward to remaining in the region with Google.”

Google has said that the North team saying in Kitchener-Waterloo and joining Google’s team based there.

No word on how much Google acquired North for but sources say it was around $180 million USD.

As for North’s next smart glasses, the company said they are winding down Focals 1.0 and won’t be shipping Focals 2.0, which was supposed to launch later this year.

Source: Google, North