Google Forbids Advertising On Glass

An anonymous reader writes "Contrary to widespread thought, Google Glass will not be an advertising platform: 'Google Inc has lately told app developers that they are not allowed to present ads to Google Glass users and they are also not permitted to sell users' personal and private information for the fulfillment of advertising needs. The internet company has explicitly and openly said that the Glass platform should and must be clean and clear of any ads whatsoever, because the technology is designed to facilitate internet browsing and other related activities, therefore, the featured podium cannot be used to advertise products as it will cause the user experience to diminish.' Seems like Google is going for hardware-only revenue on this one." You're not supposed to resell the Glass hardware, either.

Re:Can't resell it... what?! I hope CM is okay...

[drakaan]

The no resale limitation appears to be on the developer version that is out now. If they did that with the commercial one, they would have a giant shitstorm on their hands, both PR and legal.

Ads in glass apps different from ads in browser

[rs1n]

Google doesn't want developers to incorporate ads into their apps for glass. Lots of app developers create a "free" version of their app that is supported through advertising. It's this particular aspect of advertising that Google is trying to prevent from happening.

Re:Just means they will make their money another w

[EdZ]

It's $1500 for a SoC phone of fairly basic specifications (mainly due to desired low power consumption), and an off-the-shelf display module. As long as they managed to buy the module in bulk from the OEM rather than buying a packaged end-user product from a reseller, then the majority of cost for development would be in creating the interface, not in developing the hardware. Google's voice search and Now already existed from their Android work, so it's specifically the UI they had to adapt for HUD usage. I can imagine they at least broke even selling just a few thousand.

Re:I think I'll wait for something Free

[Angostura]

You appear to be confusing the end user with the service/app provider.

Illegal. Plainly so. At least here.

[vikingpower]

In the EU it is not legal to try and forbid anyone to resell items acquired by any means whatsoever. You buy it, you become the owner, you can do with it what you want: resell it, destroy it, lend it, rent it out, give it away. Google's gonna have a hard time with Euro Commissary iron Nellie ( Neelie Smit-Kroes, who already severely flogged them ).

Service provider != End User

[DragonWriter]

Hmmm, perhaps in your country EULA doesn't stand for End User License Agreement?

No, but in my country the app developer isn't the "End User", and the terms and conditions of an API service agreement are not a "License Agreement".

The only part that the API agreement and an EULA have in common is that they are both "agreements".

Re:I think I'll wait for something Free

[DragonWriter]

The no ads is a provision of the agreement required to use the API that lets web apps connect to glass, its not enforced by EULA or DRM

Is there also a provision that Google may change the EULA at any time, without prior notice? eg. When sales have taken off and enough people have been suckered in by the promise of no ads.

I know its too much to expect slashdot posters to RTFA, but is it really unreasonable to expect reading the part of the post you are responding to that you cut-and-paste-and-blockquote in your response? The no ads thing isn't part of the EULA at all, so changing it wouldn't involve changing the EULA.