Ever since Google Glass was unveiled, there has been an ongoing debate as to how the new wearable gadget will appeal to the everyday user. The price tag of $1500 seems to be the main factor that has driven many consumers away from purchasing their own Explorer Edition. But new estimates claim that the hardware in Glass costs a total of $80 only.
Obviously, this does not mean that the Glass is worth $80, since the price of manufacturing isn’t included. There is also the fact that the educated guesswork could be far off the mark. But the people at Teardown.com have a somewhat dependable knowledge of the price of the type of things used to make a Google Glass. If their estimates are correct, than Google is making a hefty profit from each one of the Explorer Editions.
It goes without saying that Google has turned down these claims, with a Google spokesperson calling the estimates “absolutely wrong”. With the intricacies that go into making such a technologically advanced gadget, the cost of manufacturing, developing and researching involved in the Glass project are bound to increase the overall price of the product. But even though the analysis made by Teardown.com is very brief, $80 is still a surprising number.
The price of Glass will certainly have to be lowered if it is to appeal to the masses, especially with various companies like Ray-Ban, Oakley and Rochester Optical taking care of the practical needs of the consumer. Although many people are skeptical about Google Glass’s appeal to everybody, Google remains optimistic about its developments in this space. Whether the gadget is overpriced or not, it is sure to have an enormous effect in multiple fields.