Microsoft Testing Eyewear To Rival Google Glass

According to the Wall Street Journal, Microsoft is apparently jumping on the bandwagon and they are testing prototypes for optical wear similar to Google Glass. This could potentially push the company into that market. A source familiar with the project said the company has asked several component makers in Asia to supply cameras and other key components for prototypes. The person has cautioned, however, the device may not reach mass production.

Tests show Microsoft is keeping close tabs on the emerging market for wearable technology, which includes wristwatches that replicate some features of smartphones and more bizarre ideas, such as tattoos to log people onto their computers. Market-research firm ABI Research is expecting annual sales of wearable devices will reach 485 million units by the year 2018. Microsoft is “determined to take the lead in hardware manufacturing to make sure the company won’t miss out on the opportunities in the wearable gadget market,” the source said.

These tests show that Microsoft’s efforts to transform itself from mainly a software company into one that produces the gadgets on which their software will run. Smartphones and other hardware devices have helped transform consumer technology and have established the likes of rival Apple as a tech giant. By contrast, Microsoft has largely been sidelined in the consumer hardware market. 

Microsoft’s determination to become a bigger player in consumer tech gear was underscored by its $7 billion acquisition of Nokia’s mobile phone business. The company last year also started making its own tablet device; Surface and apparently the company is currently testing its own Web-connected watch.

In wearable computing, Google has been the prototype leader in the wearable tech field with the company’s Google Glass device. It has a postage-stamp-sized computer screen just above the right eye which coupled with internal components and software, allows the user to take photos with voice commands and get digital directions without looking at a smartphone. Some say companies making gadgets that duplicate features of mobile phones could undercut smartphone sales. 

As competition drives down prices of most technology, wearable tech also could provide an opening for higher-cost gear. “The wearable trend has the potential to boost the currently thin margins of consumer technology products by allowing tech brands to price their products at the kind of premiums normally reserved for fashion accessories,” said HSBC analyst Jenny Lai.

Samsung recently introduced a web-connected watch and back in May. Interestingly, Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook said wearable computers will be a “key branch” in technology, though he said he didn't believe eye-wear like gear would have mainstream appeal.

As of Oct. 10, Microsoft has 78 U.S. patents related to head-mounted displays and other wearable technologies and 94 published pending applications, according to intellectual property firm Envision IP. Google had 59 such U.S. patents, Envision said.

Google Glass Workplace Policy Details

Most of us know about Google Glass. It’s a wearable computer with a head-mounted display that kind of looks like a pair of eyeglasses. You can take pictures, record video, get directions, send messages, share what you’re looking at and much more. It comes in multiple colors, and let’s face it — it’s neater than Jell-O. We all want to test drive a pair.

But from a business perspective, we have to view Google Glass (and similar kinds of wearable tech) a little differently. Despite the fact that Google Glass is not yet available to the public, several types of businesses — including restaurants, bars, night clubs, casinos and theaters — have already banned it from their premises.

Eric B. Meyer, a partner in the labor and employment group at the law firm of Dilworth Paxson LLP and author of the blog The Employer Handbook, sees other industries that might be impacted by Glass. “In industries and businesses where confidentiality or privacy is paramount, such as healthcare, financial services, legal, government — I can envision workplace rules specifically banning Google Glass.”

Part of the reason businesses will view Google Glass differently is the recording feature, says Heather Bussing, an employment attorney and contributor at the HR Examiner. “When everything someone sees can be recorded without other people knowing, it makes people uncomfortable. At worst, it is illegal since many states require consent before you record someone. At best, it’s bad manners.”

Google Glass Might Benefit Your Business

Before deciding to completely ban Google Glass, companies might want to evaluate if their business can benefit from using it. Meyer suggests some companies might embrace Google Glass for marketing purposes. “Real-time sharing could entice others to use the same products or service. An amusement park or ski resort, for example, may want to broadcast the customer experience.”

It’s also possible that Google Glass could benefit employees. For example, Google Glass could enhance department meetings because there would be a live recording of the discussion and decision-making process. It might create new opportunities for employee training and professional development. “It’s another way to communicate that we haven’t even begun to figure out,” Bussing says.

Wearable Tech Policy

Regardless of whether it benefits or challenges your company, Google Glass, like all new technologies, will test us. Companies will have to define what Google Glass means for their business and their employees. They will have to establish some decorum when it comes to wearable tech. Bussing reminds us, “Most companies don’t have a ‘do not record people in the bathroom’ policy. So it will be a good idea to establish some etiquette — at the very least, on what spaces are private and what are public.”

Meyer also mentions one area that companies will definitely want to address — employee safety. For example, West Virginia proposed an amendment to ban drivers from wearing Google Glass on the road. If companies have employees who drive as part of their regular duties, it will be important to specifically address driving, distractions and safety.

Another topic of focus will be confidentiality and trade secrets. Bussing believes, “Google Glass will get us focused on privacy and considering others across all technologies because there’s something about recording others so easily without their knowledge that crosses a line. Companies want to consider defamation, posting video of others without their permission, and protecting trade secrets and confidential information.”

Check Current Policies

Bussing says the good news is many of the workplace laws we currently have in place may already address the matter. “Laws like HIPAA, FMLA and ADA protect against ‘disclosures’ and require confidentiality of health information. It doesn’t matter how the information is collected, stored, or disclosed — it’s covered by the laws already.”

As more individuals start trying out the cool new Google Glass, businesses must become aware of the ways in which Google Glass could be used intentionally, or perceived by others, to violate employment laws. Then Meyer recommends “educating and training employees as well as managers in these areas.”

source: mashable