Google Glass Explorer edition ends as former Apple executive takes charge

Google has announced that it is making significant changes to its head-mounted wearable Glass, ending the Explorer Edition on 19 January and moving the technology under the auspicious of former Apple executive Tony Fadell.

While many have rushed to say this is the end of Google Glass that is certainly not the case. Google will stop selling the Explorer Edition of Glass to individuals from 19 January but will continue to provide devices to developers and businesses to create work applications.

Google said it still plans to release a new version of Google Glass in 2015 but has not been more specific about the timing of such a release.

The Glass program and all the team associated with it will move out of Google's experimental division known as Google X and will come under the oversight of Tony Fadell, the founder of Nest, the connected home company Google bought last year.

The current head of Google Glass, Ivy Ross will continue to manage the team, but will report directly to Fadell who will continue to run the Nest division but provide advice to Ross and her team.

Google Glass has been a high-profile product since it first launched to developers and enthusiasts in April 2013 before going on sale to the general public a year later. Glass has been plagued with issues over privacy ever since it launched and the high cost price meant it has not been widely adopted.

Glass went on sale in the UK for the first time last June costing £1,000.