Google knew Glass ‘wasn’t even close to ready,’ but Sergey Brin pushed it out

We’re learning more about why Google Glass failed, thanks to a report by The New York Times’ Nick Bilton.

Google stopped selling Google Glass in January.

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Glass was still an early prototype when Google made it available to fans and journalists in 2013.

“The team within Google X knew the product wasn’t even close to ready for prime time,” a former Google employee told Bilton.

But company cofounder and Google X leader Sergey Brin wanted Glass to be released to the public so that Google could improve it with their feedback.

That strategy backfired when journalists reviewed Glass like a fully developed consumer product.

One YouTube review called it “the worst product of all time.”

Some people were also put off by Glass invading their privacy and worried it could be used to steal their personal information.

Brin’s romance with Glass marketing manager Amanda Rosenberg also reportedly contributed to Glass’ downfall. Early team members left after news of the affair became public.

Google Glass isn’t technically dead forever — the company is simply no longer selling the original prototype unit. Google took it out of the X Lab and handed responsibility to Tony Fadell, a former Apple exec who now runs Google’s Nest unit. He’s working with Ivy Ross, a veteran of the retail and art worlds.

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This story originally appeared on Business Insider. Copyright 2015