News about Google Glass has slowed to barely a trickle over the last few months, but that looks set to change with Intel entering the picture. This is not just a switch of processor, but an overhaul of the entire device to get it working for a full consumer release.
Originally reported by the Wall Street Journal, the news indicates that Google is switching to an Intel based design due to its original supplier Texas Instruments decision to exit the smartphone market and stopped supporting the project. This has left the internet giant to work on the project itself, with varying results.
The new Intel powered Google Glass is expected to arrive at some point in 2015, and it looks like Intel is looking to focus on promoting the device to workplaces like hospitals and manufacturers instead of sticking to the consumer functions that Google has been struggling to push. This would make sense as the wearable has more practical applications for productivity and would face fewer privacy complaints if it was confined to the working environment.
Whether it will take off is another matter. Google is already looking to miss its original launch date of 2014, and it could still be a long time before the two companies build something capable of being released to the public. This is, however, quite an accomplishment for Intel which has been slowly attempting to branch out and build its brand beyond simply being a microprocessor maker.
[Source: Wall Street Journal; via Ars Technica]
