Google has announced that it's going to launch a new hardware iteration of its smart, connected eyewear, Google Glass.
Users (mostly developers and testers) who own the Glass Explorer edition through Google's select invite only program, will get a one-time option to exchange their existing Glass for a new one, if they purchased their device before October 28, 2013, the Mountain View giant informed.
As promised, the new edition of Glass will support prescription glasses and sunglasses frames, and the company will also include a mono earbud bundled with the smart eyewear for users who're not satisfied with the bone-conduction audio feature.
Google has also
showcased the new Glass hardware in pictures complete with prescription glasses support and the mono earbud that plugs into the Glass hardware. The Glass logo is printed on to the single earbud.
Interestingly, Google is also extending an invitation-based access to the Glass hardware, similar to how it lets users invite their friends test Internet services and software.
As reported earlier,
existing users of Glass under the Explorer program will be able to invite three of their friends to join the program. People who've been invited would be able to buy Glass online and can have it shipped.
"We're counting on you to get Glass to the people you think will make great Explorers. More Explorers means more feedback, and more feedback means better Glass," said Google in a
Google+ post.
Prior to the official announcement, a
report by The Financial Times had suggested that Google is expanding production, and planning to release tens of thousands more units of Glass in coming months. Citing sources familiar with Google's plans, it said that Google was "aiming for a "substantial" increase of Glass's manufacturing volumes in the run-up to Christmas."
The report added that a little more than 10,000 of the Glass "Explorer Edition" products have been distributed to competition winners, developers and other early adopters.
It's worth pointing out that Glass is expected to see a public release in 2014 and it looks like Google wants to get feedback from more users before that happens.
The Google Glass works using a tiny eyeglasses-mounted device capable of shooting photos, filming video, navigating through Maps and surfing the Internet in addition to offering text messaging.