New Version Of Google Glass Coming Soon?

Remember Google Glass? A new version of Google's Internet-capable eyewear tech may be coming soon.

As reported by the Wall Street Journal, Massimo Vian, the chief executive officer of Luxottica, an eyewear company based in Italy, stated that his company is busy fine tuning the new product. However, the Luxottica head honcho did not divulge any details regarding a specific time table, only hinting that the new Google Glass will be releasing soon.

Luxottica is the company behind popular eyewear brands like Ray-Ban and Oakley. Last May, the eyewear manufacturer inked a partnership with Google, supplying the frames for the tech giant's groundbreaking eyewear gadget. 

Vague launch details notwithstanding, this latest development is further proof that Google is indeed having another go at bringing its Google Glass into life. The said device is designed to overlay graphics over the images that the wearer is already viewing in real-life settings. It was first introduced back in 2012, but since then, the product has struggled to take off. Advocates of privacy are attacking the device's built-in camera as a tool for intruding on other people's privacy, while some quarters are saying that the eyewear technology is too "techie" or "nerdy" to really connect with the masses. 

Back in January earlier this year, Google announced that it would discontinue the current version of Google Glass, and revealed that it would put the product development of the device under the charge of Tony Fadell, who happened to be the co-founder of Nest, the smart-home device company that the search giant bought in February of 2014. Fadell could not be more qualified for the job -- he previously worked at Apple and was the project leader of the original iPod music player. 

Many had thought that they would not hear of Google Glass for some time after that, but as explained by Eric Schmidt, executive chairman at Google, in March, the project is still very much alive and is being treated as a big and very fundamental platform for the tech company.

While others see the sales discontinuation of the device as a death sentence, Google sees it as a second chance to finally get it right. Media analysts saw Google Glass's downfall as an example of a product that was way ahead of its time, or more accurately, something that was rushed before it was actually ready. This time, with the help of Luxottica, perhaps Google can learn from its mistakes.