Google might pull the covers off a new version of Google Glass before the end of the year.
The search giant famously pulled the controversial ‘Explorer Edition’ of the wearable in 2015, before bringing it back − with a few tweaks − as an enterprise-focused device in 2017.
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MySmartPrice this week spotted a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) listing for the ‘Glass Enterprise Edition 2’.
The listing reveals very little else about the new smart glasses, but the FCC’s stamp of approval suggests we might not have long to wait before Google makes an official announcement.
The original Google Glass Explorer Edition was one of the most divisive gadgets in recent memory. Users were quickly labelled ‘Glassholes’ and ridiculed for how they looked while wearing Glass, and the headset itself was criticised for being creepy largely because it was equipped with a camera.
However, times have changed, and if a consumer version of Glass was released in 2018, perhaps attitudes to it would be slightly different.
After all, cameras are pretty much everywhere now, companies as trendy as Apple are trying to make augmented reality go mainstream, and Snapchat has already released three variants of its camera-toting Spectacles without very much fuss at all being kicked up.
Google Glass Enterprise Edition was designed specifically for workplaces − “everyone from doctors to automobile assemblers”, says Google − and you can only get your hands on one if you first contact a Glass Partner.
We imagine the restrictions for its successor will be similarly strict.
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“Glass intuitively fits into your workflow and helps you remain engaged and focused on high value work by removing distractions. A quick ‘OK Glass’ can activate the right application for you at any time,” the Google Glass Enterprise Edition website reads.
“Access training videos, images annotated with instructions, or quality assurance checklists that help you get the job done, safely, quickly and to a higher standard. And Glass stays out of your way when you don’t need it.”
Five years after its unveiling, what are your thoughts on Google Glass? Let us know on Twitter @TrustedReviews.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
