Google is trying to fix the mistakes of Google Glass - The Verge

Google revealed that it will finally begin testing AR glasses in public once more, potentially opening the floodgates for Apple, Microsoft, and more.

Every major tech company is working on computer glasses. None of them really want to go first.

They all remember how Google Glass, and the “Glassholes” who wore them in public, became the laughingstock of the world. So they’ve been waiting, biding their time, refining their prototypes, and every so often making sure investors know that, no, they’re not going to let the first potentially iPhone-sized opportunity since the iPhone slip by.

But now, Google itself is taking the next step. And whether you’ve been dreading the moment when Big Tech’s all-seeing eyes reappear on people’s heads or merely counting the days until you can own a hands-free camera-computer, you should know we’re on the verge of contending with them once again.

Google shared this image to represent its prototype AR glasses.

    Image: Google
  

Last Tuesday, Google revealed that it will begin testing camera-equipped augmented reality glasses in public, and the company’s blog post contains numerous statements designed to assure you that this won’t be the era of Glassholes all over again. Google claims it’s starting with “a few dozen” testers, and the cameras and microphones on its glasses “don’t support photography and videography.” They do collect visual data, but Google wants you to imagine use cases like “translating the menu in front of you” — not recording someone across from you at a bar.

The company’s support page also contains an entire list of FAQs like “What is image data used for?”; “How long is it stored?”; and “How will I know if I’m in close proximity to products being tested?” Turns out there’s an LED that lights up if Google decides to save images for analysis, and it promises to delete them 30 days later.

https://www.theverge.com/2022/7/25/23054367/google-ar-glasses-glassholes-coming-back

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