VC Fred Wilson: Google Glass is like Apple’s Newton

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Union sq. Ventures’ Fred Wilson talking at LeWeb 2013.

According to the high-profile investor Fred Wilson from Union Square Ventures, PARIS — Google Glass is like the Apple Newton, the influential but famously untimely mobile organizer.

Talking on the LeWeb conference right here on Tuesday, Wilson mentioned he believes the know-how, in the end, will capture on but doubtlessly construct extra unobtrusively into regular glasses. For now, he indicated, it can be too primitive and awkward.

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Apple’s Newton used to be a business failure, famous for its handwriting reputation screw-ups. Nevertheless, it turned out to pave the best way for cellular technology. First, private digital assistants (PDAs) were popularized via Palm, after which the modern smartphone era began. It even laid the groundwork for an immensely successful ARM processor family from ARM Holdings.

Polling the tech convention’s target audience, Wilson judged that about 10 to 15 % of individuals could put on Google Glass while walking around the street. That was once greater than he expected — but still an attractive small minority, especially at a tech convention.

Google Glass continues to be in its very early stage, with the simplest Explorer variation available for $1,500 in the United States. It’s raised the possibility of a new category of non-public apps and multiplied the chances of wearable computing; nevertheless, it has additionally caused privacy-invasion considerations.