Remember how useless Google Glass seemed when the search giant launched the geeky and invasive product? Turns out, some workplaces actually think they’re useful. And now, Google is now distributing a new version of Glass to select businesses.
Several news outlets are reporting that Google’s been quietly distributing new Glass hardware to workplaces. The Wall Street Journal’s sources also said that the new Glass uses a “button-and-hinge system to attach the mini-computer to different glasses,” instead of fitting around your head like a goofy Star Trek prop. (See above.) Sources also said that the new enterprise-focused Glass will have “has a faster Intel processor, improved battery life of as long as two hours and improved wireless connectivity” as well as a longer, thinner display that can move both vertically and horizontally.
The latest string of reports confirm a flurry of rumors about a Glass 2.0. For instance, 9to5Mac published details of the so-called “Enterprise Edition” several days ago and claimed that the new Glass might fold up like regular glasses. The larger prism, the blog thought, might look something like this:
The new reports say that only a select group of software developers have the new Google Glass for now. Once some applications have been built, Google will offer it to business that can use it for customer service or brain surgery or whatever you can do with that very crappy two-hour battery life. This could happen as soon as this fall.
Like with all things Google Glass, however, you should take the latest reports with a grain of rumor-flavored salt. It makes great sense for Google to pivot the widely panned but inarguably futuristic technology towards enterprise customers, especially since using Glass in private workplaces would presumably cut down on privacy concerns.
Nevertheless, nobody really knows what’s going to happen to Glass in the longterm—it’s easy to forget that it’s still a new invention, and one that’s still searching for its target user.
Contact the author at adam@gizmodo.com.
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Lead image: Google Glass 1.0