In a brief statement, Google has confirmed the purchase of North, a Canadian company specialized in smart glasses whose main exponent was the Focals. This operation occurs after several attempts – not too successful – by the Mountain View company in the segment of augmented reality glasses.
Although neither of the two companies have provided the amount that Google has paid for North, from some media such as The Globe and Mail there is talk of a figure that would be around 180 million dollars. In any case, from Google and North, they highly value this operation and assure that it is a step forward in the effort to “build useful devices and services”.
Investment in hardware will continue
North was founded in 2012 under the name Thalmic Labs and with the aim of create seamlessly integrated technology, immediately accessible when we want it, but hidden when not. One of his first creations was Miyo, a bracelet that translated the neuromuscular impulses of gestures into signals that computers could understand.
Already with the name of North, in 2018, they created Focals, smart glasses that projecting information onto the lens of the glasses and not in the eye, and whose price started at $ 999. The arrival of a second version has been expected for months, but North itself, following the purchase of Google, has already confirmed that there will be no Focals 2.
North assures that joining Google represents a significant advance “in our shared vision” and “an exciting next step towards the future that we have focused on for the past eight years.”
Google, meanwhile, says North’s technical expertise “will help as we continue. investing in our hardware effortsIn addition, Rick Osterloh, Google’s head of devices and services, has confirmed that the North team will continue at the Kitchener-Waterloo offices in Canada.
