With the PC market in the doldrums, Intel has increasingly turned to wearables as a new market for its processors and chipsets. It is also getting more involved with wearables themselves. Following last year’s acquisition of Basis Science which offers a wrist-worn fitness tracker and new partnerships with companies such as Luxottica group, Oakley and Tag Heuer, it yesterday announced the acquisition of Recon Instruments, the Canadian startup behind the Recon Jet smartglasses.
According to Intel’s New Technology Group senior vice president and general manager Josh Walden, the move gives Intel “a talented, experienced wearable computing team that will help us expand the market for head mounted display products and technologies.”
According to Dan Eisenhardt, Recon’s co-founder and CEO:
As part of Intel, we’ll have the resources to continue the mission we began with the creation of Recon in 2008, but with a level of efficacy and speed that’s beyond the reach of a pioneer in a new market. We’ll stay right here in Vancouver, and we’ll retain our talent, our brand, and our entrepreneurial spirit. Thanks to Intel, however, we’ll gain two very important strengths:
We’ll have the resources to successfully grow. This growth will extend to our developer relations program, which will help us establish and sustain a strong app ecosystem.
In addition, we’ll have the opportunity to draw from Intel’s extensive technology portfolio. As the world’s most successful semiconductor company, Intel has valuable technical resources and expertise to bring to the table.
Recon products, including its Recon Jet eyewear which can project real-time data onto the lens and comes with a video camera, will continue to sell under the Recon brand.
Recon’s 75 employees wil become part of Intel’s New Devices Group and will help “develop smart device platforms for a broader set of customers and market segments.” Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
Sources : Intel // Recon Instruments