Google Glass is in the news and suddenly it’s 2013 again, only the new AR spectacles that have been announced are meant for use in the enterprise space rather than for your everyday tech enthusiast.
The Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2 was unveiled Monday with a price tag of $999 and some upgraded features, including the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR1 chip, intended for use in extended reality products, as well as beefed-up camera and battery specs, among others. While the original $1,500 Google Glass often still surfaces during special occasions, such as Google I/O, it is now quite clear that Google is done with considering the technologically advanced frames for consumer use.
From now, the Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2 will be marketed toward industries, such as medical and factory production. Capabilities of the augmented reality glasses include allowing users to “access checklists, view instructions or send inspection photos or videos.” According to Google, its current partners, including, AGCO, Deutsche Post DHL Group, Sutter Health, and H.B. Fuller have reported improvement in production time and quality since implementing the new Google Glass into their businesses.
In addition to its quad-core 1.7 GHz processor, the Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2 features a 640 x 360 display, 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. It also features an 8-megapixel camera, an 820mAh battery and a USB-C port with fast charging. Connectivity includes 802.11ac WiFi and Bluetooth 5. Sensors include a multi-touch gesture touchpad, a front-facing detection sensor, and an on-screen eye sensor. The device includes three microphones and a mono speaker for audio. It is also water and dust resistant.
Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2 runs the Android Oreo operating system, allowing users to connect to devices for management and to develop apps for the hardware.
