Google Glass release about a year away says Google CEO

News Paul Briden 08:54, 23 Apr 2013

Google's chief executive Eric Schmidt says we'll have to wait about a year for Google Glass' commercial release

While Google Glass is currently out in the wild with testers and developers, the rest of us might have to wait for roughly a year to get hold of the wearable mobile device, according to company chief executive Eric Schmidt.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s ‘World at One’ show, Schmidt said that Glass was ‘probably a year-ish away’. He also hinted at why the company might be adopting such a long-term schedule, adding that Google will be looking at feedback from the thousands of current Glass users who’ve bought developer models and looking at ways to implement changes to the final product. The idea there of course is to deliver as refined a device as possible for final launch.

Previously it’s been rumoured Google would launch Glass at some point in 2013 with many commentators pointing to the end of the year, around Christmas. But, it would seem we have a much longer wait ahead of us before we’ll all be strapping computers to our heads.

Google Glass is essentially a pair of spectacles loaded with mobile technology, the device has a small display in front of the user’s right eye which lays information over the field of view. This can display images or video feeds, email updates and much more besides, as well as providing an augmented reality experience with location information displayed on the environment around you. The headset also includes a camera to allow you to capture what you see.

It was recently revealed the operating system software is in fact a version of Android. Previously it was thought it may have been Android-based but was more generally believed to be based on the Linux kernel just as Android is, but this was the first anyone had heard that the hardware would actually be loaded with true Android.

Google Glass software confirmed as Android

Google has also unveiled the device hardware specs in recent weeks, it includes 16GB of onboard storage space, a 5-megapixel camera with 720p video, a display which is the equivalent of ‘a 25-inch high-definition screen from eight feet away’ and bone conduction technology for audio, much like what you’ll find in a modern hearing aid.

Google Glass spec unveiled

The next couple of years are expected to see a boom in wearable smart technology. Google Glass is the most prominent device and the first to be announced.

Apple is said to be working on an iOS-powered iWatch while Microsoft is rumoured to have both watch and glasses projects underway and Samsung has confirmed the development of a Galaxy watch.