Rumor: Microsoft to introduce Google Glass competitor in 2014
Wearable electronics are apparently the next big trend in tech, as a new rumor claims Microsoft plans to join the fray with its own set of high-tech glasses in the first half of 2014.
Analyst Brian White said in a note to investors on Thursday that he believes Microsoft is planning to bring to market a set of Internet-connected glasses next year. If true, that would put Microsoft in a position to compete with Google Glass, a project with a very public presence despite the fact that it is still in development.
White believes that Google Glass will kick off what he sees as a "major push" in wearable electronics by the biggest tech companies. Among those expected to play a part is Apple, which is rumored to be working on a so-called "iWatch" accessory.
The same analyst made waves on Wednesday when he claimed that Apple plans to launch a full-fledged television set later this year with a new hand-worn accessory White dubbed the "iRing." With this device, he said, users will be able to use their hands to easily control the television set.
White's details were purportedly taken from discussions with members of Apple's supply chain while on a tour of Asia. While Wednesday was the first such indication of an "iRing," rumors of an "iWatch" appeared earlier this year and have remained ever since.
AppleInsider even unearthed a smart watch concept from an Apple patent application in February that showed a wrist-worn device with a curved, flexible display.
While rumors have suggested Apple's interest in wearable technology lies in the hands, Google ??and now, allegedly, Microsoft as well ? has shown more interest in the eyes. It was even confirmed earlier this year that Google Glass will offer compatibility with Apple's iPhone over Bluetooth, as well as devices running Google's Android mobile operating system.
Google co-founder Sergey Brin wearing Google Glass.
In addition to Bluetooth, Google Glass prototypes also include Wi-Fi and GPS, as well as an integrated camera for snapping pictures. By wearing Google Glass, users will be able to accomplish voice-driven activities such as sending a text message or answering a call. The integrated display, located to to the upper right of a user's right eye, displays necessary information to operate the headset.
While much is known about Google Glass, White's note to investors on Thursday offered no specific indication as to what direction Microsoft's rumored glasses might take. He expects Google's product to ship first, in late 2013, before Microsoft's arrives in the first half of next year.
"It appears to us that Google has made significant breakthroughs around software applications as it relates to this new product," he said. "As such, we believe this initiative will kick off a major push into the field of wearable electronics and therefore will be closely scrutinized."
Analyst Brian White said in a note to investors on Thursday that he believes Microsoft is planning to bring to market a set of Internet-connected glasses next year. If true, that would put Microsoft in a position to compete with Google Glass, a project with a very public presence despite the fact that it is still in development.
White believes that Google Glass will kick off what he sees as a "major push" in wearable electronics by the biggest tech companies. Among those expected to play a part is Apple, which is rumored to be working on a so-called "iWatch" accessory.
The same analyst made waves on Wednesday when he claimed that Apple plans to launch a full-fledged television set later this year with a new hand-worn accessory White dubbed the "iRing." With this device, he said, users will be able to use their hands to easily control the television set.
White's details were purportedly taken from discussions with members of Apple's supply chain while on a tour of Asia. While Wednesday was the first such indication of an "iRing," rumors of an "iWatch" appeared earlier this year and have remained ever since.
AppleInsider even unearthed a smart watch concept from an Apple patent application in February that showed a wrist-worn device with a curved, flexible display.
While rumors have suggested Apple's interest in wearable technology lies in the hands, Google ??and now, allegedly, Microsoft as well ? has shown more interest in the eyes. It was even confirmed earlier this year that Google Glass will offer compatibility with Apple's iPhone over Bluetooth, as well as devices running Google's Android mobile operating system.
Google co-founder Sergey Brin wearing Google Glass.
In addition to Bluetooth, Google Glass prototypes also include Wi-Fi and GPS, as well as an integrated camera for snapping pictures. By wearing Google Glass, users will be able to accomplish voice-driven activities such as sending a text message or answering a call. The integrated display, located to to the upper right of a user's right eye, displays necessary information to operate the headset.
While much is known about Google Glass, White's note to investors on Thursday offered no specific indication as to what direction Microsoft's rumored glasses might take. He expects Google's product to ship first, in late 2013, before Microsoft's arrives in the first half of next year.
"It appears to us that Google has made significant breakthroughs around software applications as it relates to this new product," he said. "As such, we believe this initiative will kick off a major push into the field of wearable electronics and therefore will be closely scrutinized."
Comments
These smart glasses are going to be so outlawed, banned in public places, while driving and at corporate offices, however they will have a very beneficial gene pool cleansing Darwin effect.
In other news - Microsoft is set to copy someone else's idea. Oh wait, that's not news.
I hear that Msoft is calling theirs the "Monkey See (Monkey Do)"
Ok so it's not a rumor. Just speculation from a Wall Street analyst.
Rinse and repeat.
These are BOTH shameless copies of Apple. I mean, Steve Jobs wore glasses - typical Microsoft and Google stealing Apple's ideas! What's next, a Google Black Mock Turtleneck computer?
Only SJ had vision, Tim cook is a clown.
a couple of years after MS's offering, Apple will come in and 'invent' the wearable computing market. Introducing the 'iGlass'
Apple announces they forked off a new version of OSX ... myOS, and it's UI totally controlled by monitoring neural commands by monitoring the bloodflow brainwaves of the temporal region, using technologies they developed from their Authentec purchase. Liquid Metal is used to manufacture the computer into the frames and temples of the glasses, and a heat pump technology developed in Reno for their data center is shrunk down to power the units tapping power from the heat given off from the head. Facetime is performed by a telescoping 12" arm with micro mirror that auto projects when you wish to use the 'rear' camera with image stabalization, and the ability to remove the glasses from the video stream. The A10xxx chip, a 2nm etch, is an 8 core BAoC (BadAss on a Chip) that has the computational capacity of AWS in 2012, and it's electrical consumption is measure in nanoAmps.
Retails at $299 with the 16GB unit. $429 for LTE enabled. Ordered enabled Friday Morning, Shipping by end of month for all anglo/latin derived languages. Asian languages will ship 2 weeks after than, Cyrillic and Hebrew in 2 months. a JiveTalking version will ship in 3 months. the iGlass Mini will also ship at the same time for children under the age of 18, with parental controls built in
Oh, and One More Thing...
All iGlasses come with icloud enabled video capture on all the time. As you walk, everything you see/hear/feel is recorded and uploaded to iCloud... no more taking class notes, scrambling for that camera app, no having a policeman 'creatively' distort your actions, noforgetting what your wife said, what exactly that guys expression was when you first saw him... nothing. And the cost... is Free for the first year, and $25/year after that for upto 4Petabytes of data, which we figure is 8 hours of capture a day.
Dvorak, Lyons, Ballmer, Zuckerburg, Sergey, Larry and CmdrTaco all claim Apple's entry as 'lame', 'expensive toyware', 'immature' in the market, with a lack of lens colors, display sizes (what about old people...don't they need bigger screens)?, no support for flash, and mind controlled microsoft office, because we all know that people want to manipulate spreadsheets while they drive.
I heard it was "Ballmer see, Ballmer do".
Oh, wait. Same thing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mstone
These smart glasses are going to be so outlawed, banned in public places, while driving and at corporate offices, however they will have a very beneficial gene pool cleansing Darwin effect.
I think these things are simply a geek toy and will die off as a novelty that is more of a distraction and a pain in the rear to deal with as you'll be taking them on/off all day long.
I wear prescription glasses and hate having to wear them, but i have to. To put something else on in addition to prescription glasses is just STUPID. I don't see how they will work in addition to prescription glasses, nor do I want to find out.
Quote:
Originally Posted by drblank
I think these things are simply a geek toy and will die off as a novelty that is more of a distraction and a pain in the rear to deal with as you'll be taking them on/off all day long.
I wear prescription glasses and hate having to wear them, but i have to. To put something else on in addition to prescription glasses is just STUPID. I don't see how they will work in addition to prescription glasses, nor do I want to find out.
My exact thoughts... beat me to it
Quote:
Originally Posted by drblank
I think these things are simply a geek toy and will die off as a novelty that is more of a distraction and a pain in the rear to deal with as you'll be taking them on/off all day long.
I wear prescription glasses and hate having to wear them, but i have to. To put something else on in addition to prescription glasses is just STUPID. I don't see how they will work in addition to prescription glasses, nor do I want to find out.
Smart enough glasses will tune and digitally refract to your eyes;-) the iDoctor App ;-) ;-) ;-)
This too shall pass. . .
At least the pedophiles and other creepy stalkers will have multiple brands of stalker glasses to choose from.
Of course the Microsoft glass product will run Windows 8 because you know, Windows 8 is appropriate for every type of device.
Quote:
Originally Posted by drblank
I think these things are simply a geek toy and will die off as a novelty that is more of a distraction and a pain in the rear to deal with as you'll be taking them on/off all day long.
I wear prescription glasses and hate having to wear them, but i have to. To put something else on in addition to prescription glasses is just STUPID. I don't see how they will work in addition to prescription glasses, nor do I want to find out.
Don't you think there'll be prescription Google glass? Maybe not at launch, but if they're successful i'm sure it'll show up. I don't see why could couldn't have actual glass built onto the frame. I'm sure if it's successful or if some 3rd party companies like ray ban, armani, etc decide it's worth investing in, it'll eventually happen.
Lots of products were thought of as novelties/distractions at launch. I'd never buy google glass at launch (for similar reasons to why i don't have a tablet - can't see how it would improve my lifestyle), but if Siri-like voice control improves and a glasses-based (or wristwatch based) computer could supplant at least 50% of the time a spend staring at my phone/holding my phone up to my ear, i'd be all for it.
This is going to be an interesting development. I personally would ask anyone sitting down with me to take their Glass off.
And seriously, shouldn't it be Glasses?
"Oh yes, my Google/MS Glass is (are?) prescription glasses."
"Oh, these are glasses, not Glass."
"What is Google Glass? Well, Glass is glasses with ..."
As if the world (to wit, members herein) isn't illiterate enough.