Alphabet has been working on Glass Enterprise Edition for over two years.
Google Glass failed to pick up momentum as a consumer product, but the wearable is getting a new lease on life in the enterprise segment. Alphabet's X, which oversees the development of Glass, has announced that after two years in a limited trial program, the Glass Enterprise Edition is being rolled out to more businesses.
Glass Enterprise Edition first broke cover back in 2015 in an FCC leak, and the new version has several upgrades over the consumer variant. Alphabet made several improvements to the design and internal hardware, introducing a lightweight model that's more comfortable to wear for a prolonged duration.
Alphabet worked with over "30 expert partners" to tweak the overall design of Glass, with the likes of AGCO, GE, Boeing, DHL, and Volkswagen using the wearable. Glass Enterprise Edition also features a larger display, bigger battery, a faster Atom processor, and a higher-resolution 8MP camera. The hardware itself is detachable, allowing workers to reattach Glass to safety goggles.
Using Glass Enterprise Edition led to a 25% decrease in machinery production time for agricultural equipment manufacturer AGCO:
Workers at AGCO, an agricultural machinery manufacturer in Jackson, Minnesota, are using Glass Enterprise Edition. By reducing the amount of back and forth workers have to do accessing checklists, viewing instruction manuals or sending photos from tablets or laptops as they assemble machines, Glass has reduced machinery production time by 25 percent and inspection times by 30 percent.
Alphabet noted that DHL was able to increase its supply chain efficiency by 15% after turning to Glass, with the wearable also allowing doctors at Dignity Health to double their interaction time with patients. Alphabet is making Glass Enterprise Edition available to more businesses through its partners, and while it's great to see the wearable find its groove in the enterprise, it's unlikely we'll see a consumer-facing variant anytime soon.
Reader comments
Google Glass is back, and it's headed to the enterprise
Cool - but I'm still glad I sold mine.
Why did Google glad fail?
It didn't. It was an experiment, the experiment ended.
It did. You better believe Google wanted this mainstream.
Was not a consumer released product. Released for devs to find uses for it which is now enterprises that need HUDs/AR like manufacturing.
Built into safety glasses is the right move. Next build into firefighters face masks
This has got a long ways to go. With Microsoft Hololens in the picture, I can't see why I would get Glass over the Hololens (assuming that both of these devices will eventually have consumer product releases).
Captain Kirk sporting Google Glass could run the ship himself. There'd be no need for Sulu, Spock, Chekov or Uhura. I can totally see why Google would try to sell Google Glass to the Enterprise.
>!<))
OH MY!!!!!!!
On a recent visit to my primary care physician, I was given advanced paperwork warning me that he'd be conducting the exam using Glass to connect to a remote scribe to take his notes for him. It worked very well, and was minimally distracting.
I was mainly amused by all the warning papers and disclaimers, and wondered if there were that many Luddites out there worried that some guy was going to get a low-res stream of their wrinkly bits.
A happy ending after all. Good it didn't go to waste.
I'm actually looking at buying one, as I have one nearby for $200. Not sure if I am able to activate it though since I've heard conflicting stories on that.
I still have my Google Glass and still use it. Not every day, by any means. But when we go on special trips (such as to Europe) I always bring Glass along and make extensive use of it. Having a camera always at the ready to capture POV images and video is just great. I do wear sunglasses (the kind cataract surgery patients wear). Granted, I look a bit strange - but less strange than with an uncovered Glass!
It is amazing the quality of the photos Glass takes. Even through the sunglasses.