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Google's Finally Ready to Give Us Google Glass 2, but is the World Ready?

upstart writes:

Google Glass is making a comeback:

Seven years after discontinuing the Google Glass prototype and pivoting towards business-exclusive applications, it appears that the Californian tech giant is finally ready to give consumer-focused AR tech another chance.

In an official blog post, Google announced that it would soon start publicly testing prototypes for its upcoming Google AR devices, which will focus on live translation and navigation features.

Rumors that Google is developing new AR glasses have been swirling for a while, and in one low-key swoop, it has officially confirmed they were true all along. While lacking a lot of the excitement we would have expected for such an announcement, this is a smart tactical move for Google.

[...] Even if Google is testing a single unified prototype it could face the return of an old enemy – public fear. While Google promises that its latest AR devices are restricted on how they can use their cameras and microphones, that likely won't assuage people's concerns.

[...] We'll have to wait and see how the general public reacts though, not only next month when testers start walking around with the prototypes but also when they officially launch. Another big fault of the original Google Glass was its tough-to-swallow $1,500 price tag. Given the current economic hardships many people are facing right now, a similarly expensive product could once again be doomed to fail.

Ready or Not, the Glassholes are Coming Back

upstart writes:

Is the world finally prepared for hands-free cameras?:

Every major tech company is working on computer glasses. None of them really want to go first.

They all remember how Google Glass, and the "Glassholes" who wore them in public, became the laughingstock of the world. So they've been waiting, biding their time, refining their prototypes, and every so often making sure investors know that, no, they're not going to let the first potentially iPhone-sized opportunity since the iPhone slip by.

[...] If you hate this idea, there's probably nothing I can say to convince you otherwise, nor would I necessarily want to; I'm not going to pretend to know whether such a gadget should exist in the world. I just think you should realize that if Google's test doesn't end in utter disgust, it won't be long before Apple, Microsoft, and others throw their long-awaited glasses into the ring as well.

And in 2022, I wouldn't actually bet on disgust, mainly because we've had a decade of pointing phones at things in public, documenting every element of our lives, to prepare us for what's to come.

[...] Sure, that could change if a future pair of glasses proves to be more intrusive than our existing phones and drones. There are definitely going to be serious questions about data collection and privacy, particularly given the track record of some of the companies building them.

But in 2022, I think the bigger challenge facing Apple, Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Snap is figuring out how to build AR experiences we'd actually pay for — experiences more compelling or convenient than what phones already offer.

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