The tremendously hyped Google Glass was launched last year, with initial user-feedback ranging from mixed to downright unfavorable (except for select geeks). We here analyze why the response to Glass has not been as enthusiastic as Google had hoped it would be.
Going by the pre-release hype about Google Glass, it was being hailed as the next big thing in the domain of portable computing. Since its launch in 2013, Glass has become available to many developers and techies in the United States – and surprisingly, the response has not been too positive. A research survey revealed that, only about ten percent of the regular smartphone-users in the country were willing to try out Google Glass, while over 45% of respondents stated that they would never go for it – even if the wearable computer had a lower price tag. Where has Google gone wrong with Glass? Let’s take a look:
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Voice command feature disappoints – Apart from limited tapping and swiping options, Google Glass has to be mostly operated via voice commands. Users have reported that, even mildly accented commands led to Glass completely misinterpreting them, and carrying out the wrong functions. Using Google Glass in a room full of chattering people can be a real tough task. The makers had touted Google Glass to be a worthy competitor of iPhone apps in India and abroad – but that’s not going to happen anytime soon.
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Google Glass appears to be targeting nerds – Own a Google Glass, and bid your general social life goodbye – or so it seems at present. People have, understandably, felt that it would appear somewhat disrespectful (creepy even!) to actually talk with a friend/colleague, with the Glass plugged to their eyes. In any case, the new gadget encourages users to talk with…well…themselves only, replacing healthy social interactions somewhat.
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Suitable only for those with close-cropped hair – To be fair, the neat arrangement of the touchpad, battery and other control sections of Glass on its right-side arm impresses. There’s only one problem – if a user has long hair (at least most females do), (s)he will have no option to tuck it in behind his/her right ear. The hair would have to be kept loose over the touchpad, which can lead to erroneous functions in the gadget.
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Google Glass burns a hole in users’ pockets – The initial price-tag of Google Glass is $1500, and it is way too expensive for average users. By the looks of things, Google probably wanted to make a gadget that would double up as a status symbol – just like the high-end apps created by mobile application development companies – but the astoundingly high price-level would keep its appeal limited. Even the ambitious Google Nexus phones failed, and they were priced at much lower levels.
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Too much of notifications – Information and real-time updates of practically all types are available on Glass – but that does not necessarily make it a user-friendly product. If anything, the fact that push-notifications keep arriving after every few minutes tends to distract users. Like in iOS devices, there is no way of seamlessly filtering the notifications either. If you buy Google Glass, be prepared to receive notifications – important and unnecessary ones!
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Glass puts personal privacy of people at risk – The marketing pitch of Google, while promoting Glass, has been all wrong. The multi-billion company has been harping on how the Glass can snap pictures of anyone, anywhere – or record conversations with any person – and post them in the World Wide Web with so much of ease. The assumption that everyone is dying for such unwanted publicity is a mistaken one, and most people prefer to stay inconspicuous than having random photos of themselves getting posted on the internet.
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Taking good photos with Google Glass is a matter of luck – For a gadget that has camera features as its standout function, Google Glass lags behind most smartphone models and camera-based mobile applications. People are supposed to point their nose towards the person/thing that they wish to snap, and take photos with a slight downward angle. There are no options to check a preview before giving the voice command, and the device lacks essential camera settings as well. If Google Glass is to sustain, it needs an upgrade, soon!
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The display is far from extraordinary – If you are used to watching high-definition TV and have cell phones with crystal clear displays, Google Glass is bound to come across as a ho-hum product. The display resolution is nothing great, and it is often difficult to even see all the four edges of the view through Glass. Instead of having projector functionality, all that the gadget offers are physical images – and that too, often blurred. People looking for a more immersive viewing experience have, as a result, stayed away.
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Battery life is unsatisfactory – If you are very, very careful in your usage of Google Glass, you can expect its battery to last for a grand total of…around eight hours! On the other hand, if you randomly click about and/or use apps on it – you might run out of battery juice on Glass within three to four hours. Most smartphones face criticisms for their low battery backup, but Google Glass performs even worse on this count.
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Timeline often gets overloaded quickly – From app-notifications to images and videos, everything on the Google Glass gets stored on the timeline of the device. Initially, this might seem rather convenient – but as soon as the timeline starts getting cluttered, using the Glass becomes a problem. Users are expected to go through elaborate search procedures, to retrieve the media files that they might be looking for at any time.
The general HUD-based user interface of Google Glass has not wowed many users either. Random tests have shown that, activating the Glass can be a time-consuming task as well. The gadget is not suitable for ‘prolonged interactions’ (e.g., watching hour-long television programs). Just like gimmicky apps released by Android and iPhone application development companies in India and overseas, Google Glass has all the potential of being an overhyped failure. Google wins brownie points for bringing an innovative product to the market – but the latter’s functionality leaves much to be desired!
Hussain Fakhruddin
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