Initial Google Glass Units Will Be Built in the USA

By Kevin Parrish
published

Google wants to set an example for other American businesses. Go Google go!

Now that the Google Glass contest has come to a close, the company has roughly 8,000 orders to fill. Sources close to the project claim that Google has partnered with Foxconn (Hon Hai Precision Industry) to assemble the first wave of headsets in Santa Clara, California rather than overseas. Google will reportedly source most of the components from Asia, but the final assembly will be in the United States.

According to unnamed sources, Google plans to assemble a few thousand Glass units in the California factory within the coming weeks. Google supposedly wants to be closely involved in the production process -- to have better control over the "complex" and "small-scale" operation. This "hands on" approach will even allow Google to make last minute fixes for personal customization.

Sources also claim that Google wants to become a "high-profile example" by bringing manufacturing jobs back to the United States. That's admirable, given that so many American companies are tossing jobs overseas due to cheaper labor. However, there's no indication that Google plans to resume U.S.-based assembly after the initial Glass run in California.

The last product Google assembled in the United States was the Nexus Q, an orb-shaped media streaming entertainment device running Android 4.0 "Ice Cream Sandwich." It was originally introduced in June 2012, but it was removed from Google Play and taken back to the drawing board in October due to numerous complaints over its design and overblown price tag.

Just this week, Google announced that it is now sending out notices to winners of its Google Glass competition. Potential users of the "Explorer" version were required to send in a description of how the specs would be used. A hefty 8,000 winners were chosen who, in turn, must go to New York, Los Angeles or San Francisco and purchase the specs for $1,500.

Glass isn't due to go retail until 4Q13 or 1Q14.

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Kevin Parrish
22 Comments Comment from the forums
  • amk-aka-Phantom
    otacon72So you "won" the right to spend $1,500 on these things?..lmao. When they are $199 get back to me. "first wave"...big deal. After those 8,000 they will be made in China.
    They will never be $199. Guess you're not getting one at all then. Come on, even an SGS2 is more than $250 and this thing is way more advanced from what I gather.
    Reply
  • childofthekorn
    otacon72So you "won" the right to spend $1,500 on these things?..lmao. When they are $199 get back to me. "first wave"...big deal. After those 8,000 they will be made in China.
    This. I typically have respect for google for many of their efforts. But once it was considered Emasculating to have a cell phone, yet manly to wear the glasses...wow. Wonder where all their chromebooks are built?
    Reply
  • velocityg4
    amk-aka-PhantomThey will never be $199. Guess you're not getting one at all then. Come on, even an SGS2 is more than $250 and this thing is way more advanced from what I gather.I'll bet when 40" flats screen HDTVs were over $10,000 you said they would never hit $300, they have. There are no mineral resources in these glasses to make them worth more than a few dollars. It's just a matter of getting production costs down.

    If these do well in a few years they'll be dirt cheap as millions of units get cranked out and tons of manufacturers are competing over them. That's assuming they do that well. I think a lot of people will not like wearing these.

    A lot of people may not like these things at all. You could potentially get a big push to outlaw these in public, businesses banning them on their premises, &c. Since you don't know who could be recording you and what they are doing with that data. At least with smartphones it is pretty obvious when someone is pointing the camera at you.
    Reply
  • dalethepcman
    otacon72So you "won" the right to spend $1,500 on these things?..lmao. When they are $199 get back to me. "first wave"...big deal. After those 8,000 they will be made in China.
    Considering that a regular pair of glasses can easily exceed $500, and iphones are up to $850, I don't see $1500 being too much of a stretch for this device.
    Reply
  • halcyon
    As far as them being banned because of the camera I'd not be surprised if a way is created to somehow disable the camera within some given radius. ...basically, if the glasses pick up a certain signal the camera is disabled. Google may even help do this to increase acceptance.

    You may scoff at the idea but when it happens remember we told you so.
    Reply
  • whiteodian
    halcyonAs far as them being banned because of the camera I'd not be surprised if a way is created to somehow disable the camera within some given radius. ...basically, if the glasses pick up a certain signal the camera is disabled. Google may even help do this to increase acceptance. You may scoff at the idea but when it happens remember we told you so.Root it and disable the feature that turns off the camera :D
    Reply
  • dimar
    Google Glass should be a requirement for every politician.
    Reply
  • abbadon_34
    Unless they go get banned and go the way of the Segway (remember that "revolution"?)
    $1,500 made in the USA, next year $500 made in china, the following year $200 generic chinese iglasses
    Probably wrong on time, but we've all seen it happen
    Reply
  • halcyon
    whiteodianRoot it and disable the feature that turns off the cameraHave these been rooted already.
    Reply
  • ender2003
    let's issue these to cops instead of gun cams or dash cams. Then you truly see everything from their perspective.

    Oh wait, then some of them would be held accountable for their actions. Ban the glasses!
    Reply