There's a chance that Google Glass will be sporting a "Made in the U.S.A.," sticker, as the wearable-computer glasses are reportedly being manufactured in Santa Clara, Calif.
Assembly for the developer-only Google Glass Explorer Edition is being handled by Taiwanese manufacturer Foxconn, according to unnamed sources who spoke to the Financial Times.
Officially, Google is keeping its cards close to its specs, telling TechRadar that "Google does not comment on rumor and speculation."
However, Google's reason for in-sourcing would make sense, as the company's Google X Lab engineers will be able to make last-minute changes to production.
Of course, while Google Glass assembly is said to be local, parts for the prototype will still come from Asia.
Google Glass manufacturing
Besides giving Google X Lab engineers oversight of Google Glass from start to finish, this in-sourcing move also makes sense because Google doesn't expect large-scale production.
The augmented reality glasses, which will cost USD $1,500 (no price has been announced for the U.K. and Australia), are only expected to be in the thousands in the first batch. This includes the 8,000 Google has promised winners of its if #ifihadglass contest.
Google Glass privacy concerns have meant that the glasses aren't welcomed everywhere in the world, but U.S. manufacturing is likely to benefit from the growing in-sourcing trend.
Apple, is also bringing Mac assembly back to America, and iPhone 5 manufacturer Foxconn is reportedly looking to increase its plants in the U.S.
Whether or not this lasts when Google Glass Explorer Edition graduates from prototype to full-scale commercial production remains to be seen.
