Google is reportedly going after the enterprise market with its rumored upcoming second edition of Google Glass, which isn't much of a surprise since plenty of the use cases for Google Glass Explorer Edition were found in the workplace.
This time, Google is purposefully aiming in that direction with a device internally called Google Glass Enterprise Edition (EE), according to a new report from 9to5Google. The report says EE will sport a larger prism display that will make the smart spectacles comfortable enough for all-day wear.
The first-generation Google Glass had a smaller prism display that caused its wearer a lot of eye strain because they had to look up and to the right. The upgraded design, however, is meant to do away with this problem by allowing the user to directly look up. It is also believed that the new Google Glass will have a "better" screen resolution than the older pair, but specs are scarce for now.
9to5Google also confirms an earlier report by The Wall Street Journal that EE will be powered by an unspecified low-power Intel Atom chip that will increase battery life by a "modest" improvement. The chip is also said to be clocked slightly higher than today's high-end Android Wear smartwatches and will address heat management issues while providing better overall performance.
To make up for what is looking to be an evolutionary rather than revolutionary boost in battery life, Google is reportedly developing an external battery pack that can be swapped for the device's battery once it runs out. This suggests that while battery life on the next Google Glass has improved, the device is not yet capable of running long enough for power users in enterprise environments to use them all day.
Earlier this year, Google stopped selling Google Glass Explorer Edition to consumers but said it will continue working with enterprises to find use cases for the smart eyewear. Notably, Google has partnered with 10 medical companies and Boeing's manufacturing facilities to make production more efficient.
Last week, we reported that a Google device was spotted making its way to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), although nothing in the device's description could hint at a second-generation Google Glass except possibly its name, A4R-GG1. The device is Bluetooth-enabled and has support for both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi bands. 9to5Google says EE will definitely have support for the 5 GHz band to enable the various video streaming apps developed for Google Glass.
