Google Glass gets updated after three years of silence

Explorers may want to dust off their Google Glass headsets - Google just released an update to the device’s firmware after three years of dead silence.

Google Glass, which is a wearable heads-up display that projects information in front of the user’s eye, was a niche piece of tech that was ultimately deemed a failure by many. The device was very ambitious but fell short of its goal to become a new way to garner data from the visible world around the wearer. Short battery life and limited functionality ultimately killed the product, and Google had seemingly abandoned support three years ago. However, over the past few days, both the MyGlass Android app and the firmware on the Google Glass device itself received their first updates in a long time.

If you are one of the few who purchased the “Explorer” edition of Google Glass, you may want to power it on and connect it to the Internet. Once connected, the device should automatically download build XE23. The update brings the usual bug fixes and performance improvements as well as better Bluetooth support. This includes native support for Bluetooth keyboards and mice. The app will also push notifications to both Glass and any Android Wear device you have connected. In the past, Android Wear would have to be disconnected in order for Glass to function correctly.

So what does this mean for the future of Google Glass? It’s hard to say. While it’s highly doubtful that Google is working on a successor to one of their biggest device failures, there’s a chance we could see a new HUD system from the data giant. Or this could be a Google employee finally getting around to finishing a task they’ve put off for three years.

Source(s)