The new version of Google Glass, Google’s controversial piece of wearable tech, will be powered by central processing units provided by Intel Corporation, the Wall Street Journal reports. The report is based on the words of people familiar with the matter. The deal which puts Google and Intel side by side is part of Intel’s effort to find its way into the market of wearable technology. Next year’s Google Glass model will have an Intel CPU instead of the current one provided by Texas Instruments, the sources report.
According to the WSJ, Intel plans to promote Google Glass to hospital networks and manufacturers, and try to develop new workplace uses for the technology. The Glass was initially intended to be a consumer gadget, but it was heavily criticized by privacy organizations and was largely considered to be “nerdy”, WSJ writes. As a workplace computing device it might just do the trick, through a new program called Google for Work. According to the report, Google is currently working with software companies like APX Labs and Augmedix to encourage the use of the Glass in medical care, construction and other fields of services or industry where workers need both hands free but are still in need of information.
Texas Instruments, Google and Intel have not yet commented on the news.
Make no mistake, Google does not abandon its plans to promote the Google Glass as a consumer device. Eric Johnsen, vice president for business development at APX, expects it to become a more useful device for companies, but still primarily a consumer device. The next version of the Google Glass will most likely have a longer battery life, making it much more appealing to users than the current one, which can run for approximately a day with normal use, but for just a few hours when it comes to more power-hungry tasks, like video recording for example.
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