Nuked Hey there, my tech-loving followers! I’ve got some interesting news to share with you today. It seems like Google’s hardware division is going through a tough time. They recently announced that they are laying off hundreds of hardware workers, particularly in their augmented reality (AR) division. But that’s not all – Fitbit co-founders James Park, Eric Friedman, and other Fitbit leaders are also leaving the company entirely. It’s quite a shake-up!
Update: It turns out that it’s not just Fitbit and AR that are affected. Google has confirmed around a thousand layoffs, and there might be more to come. According to Google’s statement to 9to5Google, the majority of the impacts are on the 1P AR Hardware team. However, Google wants to assure us that they are still committed to other AR initiatives and partnerships.
It’s safe to say that this could be the end of Fitbit as we know it. Just over four years ago, Google bought the company for a whopping $2.1 billion in November 2019. But let’s be honest, this news doesn’t come as a complete surprise. There have been concerns about Google’s handling of Fitbit for some time now. They have been axing beloved features, causing outages, and even quietly pulling Fitbit products from multiple countries. It’s been a bit of a mess, to say the least.
Google’s spokesperson, Courtenay Mencini, claims that Fitbit will continue to exist and serve its users well. They mention their commitment to innovation in the health space with personal AI, the redesigned Fitbit app, Fitbit Premium service, and the Fitbit tracker line. So, there’s still hope for Fitbit enthusiasts out there.
In addition to Fitbit, Google’s AR efforts have also faced uncertainties. The company’s head of AR tech, Clay Bavor, left last February, and the team’s software leader, Mark Lucovsky, departed as well. Google reportedly killed its Project Iris augmented reality glasses some time ago. Stephen Lake, co-founder of AR glasses company North, which Google acquired in 2020, also left the company last June.
When Google mentions its “1P AR hardware team” being impacted, it means that they have decided to invest fewer resources in developing their own AR glasses. They have been working with Samsung and Qualcomm on headsets, but the results of those collaborations are yet to be seen. There have been reports suggesting setbacks in the Samsung partnership as well.
Unfortunately, Google did not respond to our inquiry about whether they are still working on their own AR hardware. However, they did mention that they are making organizational changes to become more efficient and align their resources with their biggest product priorities. Impacted employees will have the opportunity to apply for open roles within Google and will receive support throughout this transition.
It’s clear that Google is going through a period of change and reevaluation. Many companies in the tech industry are facing similar challenges during these uncertain times. Let’s hope that Google can navigate through these changes and continue to bring us innovative technology that we love.
That’s it for now, my friends! Stay tuned for more tech updates and let’s see what the future holds for Google and its hardware division. Take care!
