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Google makes Glass Enterprise Edition 2 available for direct purchase

Google is also sharing new open source applications and code samples to help developers build applications for the glasses.
Written by Stephanie Condon, Senior Writer

Developers and businesses can now buy Google's Glass Enterprise Edition 2 directly from a handful of hardware resellers, Google announced Tuesday. Previously, interested enterprise customers had to work with Google partners to build custom software for the augmented reality glasses that fit their specific needs. 

After Google Glass failed to take off as a consumer product, Google revived the AR glasses for the enterprise in 2017. It launched the second edition in May of last year. They're used in a variety of sectors, including logistics, manufacturing and field services

"Since Glass Enterprise Edition 2 launched last May, we've seen strong demand from developers and businesses who are interested in building new, helpful enterprise solutions for Glass," Google's Jay Kothari wrote in a blog post. 

The glasses are built on Android, enabling businesses to integrate the services and APIs they already use. Google is also sharing new open source applications and code samples to help developers build applications for the glasses.

According to IDC, worldwide spending on augmented reality and virtual reality should reach $18.8 billion this year, an increase of 78.5 percent over the estimated $10.5 billion spent in 2019. While consumer spending on AR/VR is expected to be greater than any single enterprise industry, it will grow at a much slower pace.

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