Google recently announced that it was ending the Google Glass Explorer program and stopping the selling of Google Glass in an attempt to revamp the product.
There are a number of things that Google could do to bring Glass to the attention of the masses. Here are five of them.
1. Allow Glass To Clip On To Normal Glasses
Google has created a great gadget, but that's what it is -- a gadget. While the company has some great press shots that seem to show Glass in a fashionable light, in reality, the device isn't a fashion statement in the same way that some other wearables are.
"They need to clip on to an existing frame and not just be their frame," said Scott Klososky, author of The Velocity Manifesto: Harnessing Technology, in an email with Tech Times. "In other words, the heads up display capability needs to look cool."
2. Integrate With Apple and Windows Smartphones
Android is certainly a successful mobile operating system. However, to truly bring Glass to the masses, it needs to work with an iPhone. While it currently does have some level of integration with an iPhone, it's nothing compared to what the device can do with an Android. Much of this has more to do with the Apple side of things than the Google side.
3. Lower The Price
A price of $1,500 for the device is a little over the top. It's likely that Google knows this and only charged that much for the sake of keeping sales limited during the test run of Glass. If that's not the case, Google needs to drastically lower the price of Glass.
"Apple targeted high-end watches with the Apple Watch in pricing and design," Erik Burckart, CTO at PointSource, told Tech Times. "Google released the most expensive glasses at $1,500 each without much thought to the aesthetics. In order to get to mass market, Google must lower the cost of the technology to that of high-end eyewear, approximately $500 each."
4. License Glass For Specific Commercial Usages
While Google Glass could turn out to be a great device for the consumer, it will likely be more effective in specific business settings. For example, Glass is being used in surgery as a way to get a second opinion from surgeons around the country through video recording. More uses like this could greatly boost Glass' credibility and use.
"For example, warehouse workers who are picking and shipping items could benefit from a safety goggle-esque capability that helps their workers get new orders and interact more quickly," continued Burckart.
5. Incentivize More App Development Companies
The success of a mobile operating system is largely based on its ecosystem and app compatibility. If developers aren't creating apps for Glass in the same way that they are for Android, then Google needs to offer incentives to kick-start app development.
"If you want the technology to take off, people need to start building great things for Google Glass other than Google," said Burckart. "Google does a good job of driving general developers to what they are doing but here they need to engage more app development companies to add value."
