Although select developers and “influencers” are currently testing Google Glass as we speak, it looks as though joe public won’t get a chance to buy a pair until 2014. This was recently confirmed by Google’s Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt.
During an interview on BBC Radio 4 recently, Schmidt was questioned about the futuristic glasses that have been capturing the hearts of tech fans the world over. When quizzed on the general launch of the device, he noted that the company was on course for a public launch in around a year’s time.
The other big question on every geek’s lips is the price. We’ve seen expected prices floating around the $1000-2000 mark and it seems that’s what Google is aiming for. Despite there being hardly anything to Glass on the outside, it’s going to be a pricey gadget unfortunately. Schmidt estimates that Google hopes to keep the price below $1,500, and as far below that figure as possible.
Since dishing out early ‘Explorer’ versions of Glass to developers at its last I/O Developers Conference, people around the world have been using and testing the product. New applications have been made, many improvements have been put in place and more, thanks to a testing and feedback period.
“At the moment what you do is you wear it. There are tremendous numbers of applications that can be imagined – augmented reality – where you see what’s going on in real-time and then we annotate that. We say, oh that’s this building, or this is something that you’ve already done, or those sorts of things.” Schmidt seemed very excited about the prospect of Glass going public and the potential of the product, and it seems that augmented reality will play a big part in Glass’ success.
So it seems as though Google Glass is still a long way off – unless you’re a fortunate developer – but in the meantime why not find out how it works? Check out what’s inside Google Glass here.