Boston, MA 05/15/2014 (wallstreetpr) – Google Glass is available for sale to anyone in the U.S. who wants to try the new wearable device. Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) announced the eyewear will be available in the “Explorer Edition” only and can be purchased directly from the company. The device costs $1,500.
The company previously made the device available to a selected group of people that mainly included tech devotees. However, taking the device mainstream signals a strategy to popularize the product that could become a reliable revenue earner and a good companion for developers, doctors, firefighters and artists among others.
Google Glass allows users to record what goes on around them, play music and do many other things that can be done on a computer or smartphone.
Expensive device
Although Glass exceeds the needs of tech devotees, the cost of the device seems prohibitive. At $1,500 per pair, Glass is more than double the cost of a high-end smartphone. However, for developers, it provides an opportunity to make money by developing apps for users. Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) might, however, over time, consider lowering the cost of the device to promote mainstream uptake.
Retail deal
Though Google Inc currently offers Glass directly to buyers in the “Explorer Edition,” the company entered a retail deal with Luxottica, an eyewear manufacturer, to sell the device. Luxottica boasts a retail network that captures more than 7,000 stores across the U.S. Retail selling of Glass might start early 2015 in North America if all goes well.
User feedback
Taking Glass mainstream is expected to help Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) to learn more from users through feedbacks that can support improvement in the device. The company has got a practice of gathering information from real users of its products and that practice can be traced to the company’s product success on the market.
Wearable market
Glass marks the grand entry of Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) into the lucrative yet challenging wearable market. While the company is making its market debut with an eyewear, earlier players such as Samsung Electronics enter the wearable market with wrist wears. Samsung has its Galaxy Gear while Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) is readying its wrist wear known as iWatch for launch this year. Experts anticipate big growth in the wearable market.
In recent times Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) has faced intense competition from Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) and Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ:AMZN), for example, which are aggressively vying against it for ad revenue. Therefore, Glass is expected to support revenue growth in the company even as it improves its hardware portfolio.
