Google confirms Glass works with prescriptions, should see frames launch later this year
The folks at Google are being a bit more chatty than we thought they’d be this week at SXSW. Yesterday, they let us in on previews for a few early apps that are being made for Google Glass like Gmail, the New York Times, Evernote and Path. Today, Google has confirmed some important news for those of us who wear prescription eyewear.
Piggybacking a picture of Glass team member Greg Priest-Dorman wearing a prototypical pair of Glass with lenses in them, Google says consumers will definitely be able to outfit these things with prescription lenses if needed. That was one of the biggest questions in regards to glass when Google first announced it, and it was a valid one — nearly half the population of the world wears some sort of prescription eyewear.
Speculation only went two ways, really: either Google would create a clip-on attachment to fit on any pair of glasses or they would make it possible to shove some lenses into the rims of this thing. The possibility of the former happening became quite slim when we found out Google could be using bone-conduction technology to deliver audio to your ear canal without using external speakers.
That only left the latter option, and that’s where we stand today. Unfortunately you early adopters won’t be able to get your glasses fit with prescription lenses, as the Explorer program will come about so early that Google won’t be finished testing and developing its prototypes in time.
That said, Google did promise that the lens-ready Glass would be on store shelves by the end of the year so there won’t be a long wait if you decide not to go through with picking up an early pair. Suddenly, I am so much more tempted to buy one of these now. How about you?
[via Google+]