Days After Being Dumped By Apple, Intel Pulls Plug On Major Consumer Project

Days after Apple pulled the plug on using Intel processors for their MacBooks, the big processor Company has pulled the plug on its new devices group and their smart glasses project.

What was ironic was that the move came days after Intel invited US tech magazine The Verge to get an exclusive look at their Smart Glasses initiative.

In a statement that was not issued in Australia, nor widely elsewhere, Intel said ‘We are continuously working on new technologies and experiences. Not all of these develop into a product we choose to take to market. The Superlight [the codename for Vaunt] project is a great example where Intel developed truly differentiated, consumer augmented reality glasses’.

‘We are going to take a disciplined approach as we keep inventing and exploring new technologies, which will sometimes require tough choices when market dynamics don’t support further investment’.

Now a core Intel project has been canned, and Intel said it will no longer seek to develop the Vaunt glasses for a consumer launch as they bragged about at CES 2018.

The announcement will result in “some layoffs” from the NDG team, which reportedly had around 200 employees.

Intel has been shopping around for partnerships for their glasses project, but they struggled to find anyone interested especially after Google pulled the plug on their glasses initiative.

Brands such as Tag Heuer and Oakley as well as Patek Phillipe said no to Intel.

Observers claim that the fact that they couldn’t get any buy-in from the glasses or tech supply chain is beyond worrisome. “If those companies who are tied into this space don’t have faith in the
technology then where is the technology going to go” said one analyst.

About Post Author

David Richards

David Richards has been writing about technology for more than 30 years. A former Fleet Street journalist, he wrote the Award Winning Series on the Federated Ships Painters + Dockers Union for the Bulletin that led to a Royal Commission. He is also a Logie Winner for Outstanding Contribution To TV Journalism with a story called The Werribee Affair. In 1997, he built the largest Australian technology media company and prior to that the third largest PR company that became the foundation company for Ogilvy PR. Today he writes about technology and the impact on both business and consumers.