When will regular consumers be able to purchase Google Glass? Ever since the augmented reality headgear was unveiled in 2012, we've been hearing Glass will be available to the general public in 2014 ... or maybe in late 2013 ... but probably not until 2014. So which is it? Time to set the record straight.
Back in February, a source very close to the Glass team told me to expect Google's augmented reality headgear to be available for purchase by average consumers by the end of this year, and for less than the US$1,500 that Glass Explorers have had to pay for the beta hardware that's in the wild right now.
Then in April, Google Chairman Eric Schmidt threw some cold water on that anticipation, telling the BBC that Glass was more likely a "year-ish away."
But the rumors that Glass could be reaching the noggins of the general public before New Year's Eve did not abate there. At Google I/O in May there was a fresh set of reports that Glass could get a 2013 release.
And then again on Monday, yet another round of chatter – started with a post at Computerworld – informed us that the drop date for Glass is now "back" to 2014.
Suffering from so much slow-motion whiplash, I checked in with a source within Google and was directed to the FAQ page for Glass that went up towards the beginning of this summer. The relevant part there reads:
Q: When will Glass be available to all consumers?
A: Our goal is to make Glass available to a wider group of Explorers later this year, with even broader availability next year so stay tuned.
While miracles can happen, making a declarative statement on an FAQ is about the closest you can get in this digital age to setting something in stone. So until I hear differently from someone with more authority than my old friend, Mr. FAQ, let's consider it official: No Glass for most of you this year. Sorry.
