News Flash: Google Glass is back

Google’s wearable computer, Glass, is back but this time, Google is introducing the device as an enterprise focused device. Industries likely to benefit from it include those in healthcare, manufacturing and energy.

This is coming 6 months after Google announced that it will cease production of the device in its present form leading to the move of that team to a standalone division headed by Tony Fadell.

The initial release of Glass was sold as part of an “explorer” programme, initially for $1,500 a pair. The company was adamant that users weren’t buying a finished consumer product but, it promoted Glass widely, dressing catwalk models in the technology and eventually cutting the price to $500. It was in that period that the company discovered the potential of using the devices in specific institutional contexts. Most notably, the device was adopted by surgeons, for whom the offer of a voice-controlled, hands-free screen holds obvious benefits.

The unannounced relaunch, reported by the Wall Street Journal, could be followed a year later by a new consumer version.