Glass Enterprise Edition 2 Design: Google’s New Specs
🗣 Google, the multinational technology mogul, is widely known not only for its search engine but equally, for an array of cutting-edge physical products. To the great grief of tech aficionados, some innovative ideas (like Project Ara) are hung up for good before even reaching a wider public.
The story of Google Glass is a tad more complicated but to keep it short we’ll just recall that the tech giant first presented a wearable device for everyday use. The spectacles with AR and VR capabilities premiered in 2013 and after receiving a great deal of criticism due to privacy concerns were discontinued shortly. Four years after the controversial launch, in mid-2017, Google announced the Google Glass Enterprise Edition. In 2019, the Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2 was released.
A new updated model
🗣 The device, developed by Google and manufactured by Foxconn, is one of the lightest pieces of wearable technology. Made with titanium, 60% lighter than iron, and highly robust, the frame is barely noticeable to the user.
The assisted reality device is a monocular smart glass with a full-color display placed on the right side of the frame, slightly above the field of vision. The transparent display uses a prism for transparency, allowing the user to look through it during operations. Google designers’ goal was to create a tool to facilitate efficient work without distracting professionals from their surroundings. Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2 can be controlled by swiping on the side of the frame and using voice commands. The device has on-head detection and eye-on-screen sensors to extend battery life when not in active use.
The Enterprise Edition 2 is sold in pieces, the Glass Pod (the electronic part of the unit), and the frame separately. As a result, purchasers can buy frames with e.g. prescription lenses to match their needs. The Pod and frame are convenient to connect and detach by using built-in hinges.
The device benefits from Qualcomm’s Snapdragon XR1 resulting in better performance compared to the previous model. Running on the Android Open Source Platform, the Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2 is easy and fast to develop.
Here are some of the key features & specifications:
👉 Qualcomm XR1 Platform
👉 640-pixel x 360-pixel RGB display
👉 32GB of storage
👉 An 8-megapixel camera
👉 83° Diagonal Field of View
👉 Up to 1080p30 video
👉 Three field beam-forming microphones
👉 Up to 8 hours of battery life
Advantages of Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2:
👉 Featherlight (51g)
👉 Dust and water-resistant
👉 Robust frame made with titanium
👉 Supports Google Meet
👉 Multi-touch gesture touchpad
👉 Removes distractions and supports users in focusing on their urgent tasks
Due to a transition from an Intel processor to a Qualcomm Snapdragon XR1, the 2nd Edition of Google Glass noted an increase in computing power. Followed by bigger memory, the device handles more and more demanding tasks and applications.
🗣 The first difference we notice with the Enterprise for Glass 2 is that it’s built on the Qualcomm XR1 Platform, giving it significantly more processing power than the original model. The latest smart glasses also feature an 8MB camera, a 640-pixel x 360-pixel RGB display, 32GB of memory, blink and wink sensors, and a USB-C port with broader functionality all around.
Another big difference from the original is that the Enterprise for Glass 2 was built entirely on Android, making it much simpler for developers to build on and for organizations to integrate existing applications and APIs.
Like its predecessor, the Glass for Enterprise 2 is fully voice-controlled, meaning users working on the front-line or in other roles where freehand movement is essential can utilize all the device features without affecting productivity.
Unlike the original Glass, Glass Enterprise Edition 2 was designed specifically for business users and offers several new features to enhance collaboration, mobility, performance, and efficiency in the workplace.
So far, companies like DHL, Boeing, and AGCO all claim to have seen an increase in operational performance and efficiency since incorporating Glass for Enterprise 2 in their infrastructure – but what exactly do the smart glasses have to offer?
The Google Glass for Enterprise Edition 2 smart glasses are lightweight, dust and water-resistant. Unlike the original model, the Enterprise for Glass 2 features new safety frames sturdy enough for use in robust industrial environments such as factory floors and construction sites. Google also added a bigger battery to the smart glasses, along with support for Android Enterprise Mobile Device Management to increase mobility and flexibility for deployed workforces and remote users on the go.
🗣 Not sure if the Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2 is the right choice? The sleek and modernist approach to AR wearable devices is not what your industry needs? There are plenty of options to choose from.
The device gives users the ability to integrate instructions in real-time, allowing for efficient hands-free work in a dynamic, ever-changing environment. In cases where premade, created beforehand tutorials won’t suffice, Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2 makes processes less time-consuming and more efficient. The content is displayed right above the natural line of sight for ergonomic, efficient complementation to the outside world.
Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2 is successfully used to live stream meetings. With the possibility to record and stream meetings, the device helps to save time on documenting and reviewing the course of events. The feature is effectively used in e.g. healthcare. Industries such as manufacturing (especially assembly lines and other areas with mild working conditions) and logistics are other examples of fields where the device is highly useful. Displayed instructions help workers on the floor of warehouses while completing orders and assembling parts.
Due to its lightweight, the Glass can be used for day-long shifts without causing fatigue or discomfort. However, energy-consuming operations may require an external battery to withstand 8 hours of constant work. On the downside, the device doesn’t include a hot-swappable battery. As a consequence, changing the power source involves turning the Glass off.
The final verdict:
🗣 Overall, it seems as though the Enterprise for Glass 2 is doing a great job of putting Google back on the map as a reputable AR smart glasses vendor.
While Glass failed (on a global scale) in the consumer market, it appears to be doing quite well in the enterprise smart glasses marketplace by providing big businesses with the tools they need to compete as market leaders. Whether this will continue once other vendors like Apple and Facebook enter the marketplace soon remains to be seen, but, for now, things are looking much better for Google AR.
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