Perhaps one of Google's more ground-breaking inventions, the Google Glass has made quite a splash since it was released to consumers earlier this summer. A head-mounted device, resembling a pair of glasses, Google Glass has allowed people to surf the internet, take pictures, and see the world in a different light. But the setback was that the first generation of the device was not too popular with the masses, in that its high price-tag in the thousands made it virtually unobtainable to the average consumer. And on top of that, not everyone was quite convinced with the privacy plans put in place.
But Google has found the flaw in the chain. While the first version has been technically superb, fulfilling everything that Google has promised it could, the processor first developed by Texas Instruments (TI) has come at quite a cost. And while Google Glass was initially promoted as a consumer gadget, the price-tag has kept it virtually out of reach.
However, as Google looks to the development of a second generation of the innovative new device, it is rumored that a partnership with processor-developer Intel will not only boost public opinion, but also sales and a new image for Google Glass. Earlier this past year, Google announced it would be pushing for Google Glass to be used more in the work field for business, in conjunction with a new program called "Glass at Work". While Google has said that major companies like oilfield services company Schlumberger, are already using Glass to improve safety and efficiency, Intel plans to promote the next version even more in the workplace as a computing device driven towards manufacturers and even hospitals.
Intel, which has been a leader in PC and server microprocessors for years, was a late entrant into the mobile computing industry and has had a pretty rough transition so far. Reporting operating losses in excess of $3 billion from its mobile and communication division in the first three quarters of 2014 alone, the company has been investing in new technology and is eager to be a member of what is expected to be the next big wave in the computing industry - wearable technology.
Juniper Research teams estimate that wearable computing devices shipments will increase ten-fold in the five years between 2013 and 2018, and if Google can successfully find a partner in Intel for its processing needs, then Google Glass may just rake in a majority of those orders placed by consumers eager to get their hands on the wearables of the future.
