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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchGoogle stopped selling Glass Enterprise Edition on March 15, 2023, and ended its stated support and replacement period on September 15, 2023. Existing Glass Enterprise Edition 2 units were not necessarily remotely disabled: Google said devices and installed software could continue working, but it planned no further Google software updates, warned that Meet on Glass might stop working at any time, and no longer offered the normal replacement path. In 2026, Glass Enterprise Edition 2 is best treated as unsupported legacy equipment, not as a supported platform for a new production deployment.
What Google actually discontinued
The announcement covered the Glass Enterprise Edition product line, including the Glass Enterprise Edition 2 hardware introduced in 2019. It was not merely a pause in consumer availability and should not be confused with the earlier consumer Glass Explorer program or with later augmented-reality research projects.
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Google’s official notice says sales ended on March 15, 2023. Support for existing customers, including the existing device-replacement process, continued only through September 15, 2023. Google did not publish a specific reason for ending the product, so claims about poor sales or a particular strategic decision remain outside the official explanation.
See Google’s end-of-life FAQ for the original deadlines.
Glass Enterprise Edition 2 discontinuation timeline
| Date | What happened | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| February 2019 | Google announced Glass Enterprise Edition 2 | The product was positioned as an enterprise assisted-reality wearable. |
| March 15, 2023 | Sales ended | Google stopped selling Glass Enterprise Edition. |
| September 15, 2023 | Stated support deadline | Google’s normal support and device-replacement process ended. |
| After September 15, 2023 | Existing devices could continue operating | Installed applications might still run, but Google planned no further software updates. |
| At least April 1, 2024 | System images and OTA-update access were to remain available until at least this date | This was a minimum availability statement, not a promise of indefinite access. |
Source for the dates and qualifications: Google’s support notice.
What happened to existing devices?
Hardware may still power on
Google said existing Glass Enterprise Edition devices could continue to be used after September 15, 2023. That describes expected post-support operation, not an indefinite guarantee. Batteries, displays, cameras, charging ports and frames can fail, and Google no longer provides the former replacement route.
No planned Google firmware updates
After the support period, Google planned no further software updates. A unit that boots successfully is therefore not equivalent to a secure, actively maintained Android endpoint. Account, certificate, server and regulatory requirements can change even when the local hardware remains functional.
Meet on Glass is a separate risk
The pre-installed Meet on Glass application would not receive ongoing support after September 15, 2023. Google warned that it might stop working at any time after that date. That wording does not establish one universal shutdown date for every deployment; behavior can depend on the service and account environment.
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Google’s documentation places responsibility for third-party applications with their developers. A customer-built or solution-provider application may continue to work locally even when Google support and a Google-managed collaboration feature do not. It may still depend on an organization’s backend, authentication service, certificates, APIs or device-enrollment system.
What Glass Enterprise Edition 2 was designed to do
Glass Enterprise Edition 2 was a lightweight, monocular assisted-reality device: a small display positioned in the user’s field of view rather than an immersive virtual-reality headset. Google presented it for hands-free, glanceable and voice-activated work.
- Manufacturing and assembly instructions
- Warehouse and logistics tasks
- Field service and inspection
- Remote assistance and collaboration
- Healthcare and clinical workflows
- Point-of-view image and video capture
- Task information without reaching for a handheld computer
Google’s positioning and getting-started material are available at the 2019 announcement and the product guide. Calling it simply an “AR headset” is understandable, but “assisted reality” or “monocular wearable display” is more precise than implying a HoloLens-style immersive experience.
Original Glass Enterprise Edition 2 specifications
These are Google’s published specifications for the product, not a claim that the platform remains competitive in 2026.
| Component | Published specification |
|---|---|
| Processor | Qualcomm XR1 system-on-chip |
| Operating system | Android Open Source Project 8.1 (Oreo) |
| Memory and storage | 3 GB LPDDR4 RAM; 32 GB eMMC flash |
| Camera | 8 megapixels; up to 1080p30 video |
| Display | 640 × 360 RGB display |
| Audio and microphones | Mono speaker; three near-field beam-forming microphones |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.0; dual-band 802.11a/g/b/n/ac Wi-Fi |
| Port and battery | USB-C; 800 mAh battery |
| Durability and weight | IP53; approximately 46 g without the frame |
Source: Google’s specifications.
Developer and IT implications
Glass was Android-based and Google highlighted Android Enterprise mobile-device-management support, but it was not a normal Android phone. Applications had to accommodate Android 8.1 and the device’s unusual display, touch, voice, camera and audio model. Android compatibility alone does not imply Play Store compatibility or a usable interface.
Google documented an APK sideloading route through Android Flash Station:
- Obtain a Glass-compatible APK from the organization’s solution provider.
- Open Google’s Glass APK installation page.
- Connect Glass to a computer with USB.
- Enable or allow USB debugging when prompted.
- Choose Install APK.
- Select the Glass APK files.
- Choose Install selected APK files.
- Wait for All APKs Installed.
This is a legacy installation workflow, not evidence that Google’s entire provisioning or backend ecosystem remains operational. Preserve the original APK, signing certificates, source code, system images, enrollment material and backend documentation before attempting a reset or migration.
Checklist for organizations that still operate Glass
Inventory the fleet
- Serial numbers, frames and accessories
- Battery condition and spare units
- Firmware and system-image versions
- Installed APKs and signing certificates
- Solution-provider contacts
- Cloud endpoints, identity providers and authentication methods
- MDM policies and enrollment procedures
Freeze a reproducible baseline
Export application packages where permitted, preserve configuration files, document factory-reset and re-enrollment steps, and record the exact firmware and application versions that work. Verify that a new unit can be rebuilt without relying on a support portal that may disappear.
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- Booting and running the workflow without internet access
- Camera capture and local data storage
- Synchronization after reconnection
- Wi-Fi authentication and Bluetooth peripherals
- Expired accounts, certificates and server APIs
- Factory reset, enrollment and replacement-device provisioning
Plan before the last working unit fails
A used Glass fleet can be a short-term spare strategy, but it is a weak foundation for a new multi-year deployment. Budget for tested spares and a supported replacement rather than assuming another unit will be available when a battery or display fails.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Should you buy Glass Enterprise Edition 2 used?
| Buyer | Practical answer |
|---|---|
| Existing customer | Possibly, as a tested short-term spare for a documented legacy workflow. |
| Developer or hobbyist | Reasonable only if you accept legacy Android, scarce parts and unsupported hardware. |
| New enterprise deployment | Generally no, unless the application is tightly controlled and you have adequate spares and a migration plan. |
| Safety-critical or regulated operation | Poor fit without a supported replacement, documented controls and a validated continuity plan. |
Second-hand listings may involve incomplete devices, degraded batteries, missing frames or customer-locked hardware. Verify provenance, battery health, application availability, provisioning steps and backend access before purchase. No official Google support should be assumed.
What to evaluate as a replacement
There is no universal drop-in successor. Compare the complete workflow, not just the headset.
- Display: transparent see-through versus an enclosed or non-see-through screen
- Wearability: all-shift weight, balance and prescription or safety-glass compatibility
- Ruggedization: IP rating, drop and temperature resistance, and hard-hat support
- Input: voice, touch, physical controls, scanning and use in noisy areas
- Camera: resolution, stabilization, low-light performance, field of view and privacy indicators
- Power: runtime, charging and hot-swappable batteries
- Platform: supported Android version, SDK lifecycle and security-update policy
- Fleet management: MDM, enrollment, remote diagnostics and account administration
- Environment: cleanroom, healthcare, hazardous-area, dust, water, heat and noise requirements
- Commercial continuity: warranty, repair, spares, support plan and vendor roadmap
- Total cost: hardware, subscriptions, accessories, integration, training and replacement stock
Vuzix M400
Vuzix lists the M400 as a current enterprise monocular device with Qualcomm XR1, 6 GB of RAM, assisted-reality overlays and industrial and medical positioning. Its product page showed a listed price of $1,499.99 USD alongside a “Sale sold out” signal in the observed listing; confirm configuration, stock, warranty and regional availability directly at Vuzix’s product page. It is more current and ruggedly oriented than Glass EE2, but it is not a consumer-style transparent-glasses replacement or a plug-and-play application port.
RealWear Navigator 520
RealWear’s Navigator 520 targets field service, manufacturing, utilities, inspections and other demanding environments. The listed configuration includes voice control, a Snapdragon 662, 50 MP tiltable camera, optional FLIR thermal imaging, hot-swappable battery, IP66 protection and MIL-STD-810H positioning. RealWear’s shop showed $3,150 USD including a one-year service-and-support listing; confirm the current package at the shop page. At about 270 g and with a non-see-through display, it is substantially heavier and less discreet than Glass.
RealWear Arc 3
RealWear’s shop listed the Arc 3 from $2,950 USD in the observed catalog. It represents a newer enterprise ecosystem rather than a physical or software clone of Glass. Validate display, camera, voice, MDM, application and support requirements at RealWear’s catalog before treating it as a candidate.
Bottom line
Glass Enterprise Edition 2 was not necessarily bricked on September 15, 2023. It did, however, cease to be a supported Google product: sales had already ended, replacement and stated support ended, no further Google updates were planned, and Meet on Glass could fail without a universal announced shutdown date. Keep it only where a controlled legacy workflow, preserved software and tested spares justify the risk. For a new or expanding deployment, run a requirements pilot with a currently supported assisted-reality platform and budget for application, MDM and workflow changes rather than expecting a drop-in replacement.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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