By now you know about Google’s innovative Internet-connected eyewear.
Well, an eyewear design patent filed back in March in South Korea shows that Samsung Electronics Co. is working on their own unique device. The company is referring to their invention as sports glasses, but it is suspected that the eyewear is a possible response to Google’s digitally enhanced glasses.
The patent was filed at the Korean Office of Intellectual Property. It depicts Samsung’s design for smartphone-connected eyeglasses that will have the ability to show information from the handset.
Samsung has said that the glasses will be able to play music and receive phone calls via earphones that will be built into the eyewear’s frame. The glasses will further give hands-free control over the smartphone.
Samsung’s sketch is somewhat reminiscent of the Google Glass design. The sketch shows a thumbnail-sized display over the left eye lens whereas Google’s product has a minute display over the right eyeglass that shows websites and other information.
At this point, the sketch from Samsung doesn’t clearly state if the eyewear can or will be equipped with a touch control camera like the Google glasses nor does it show whether the eyewear would be connected directly to the mobile Internet or only be used as a slave to a smartphone.
The name and description specify that the product is designed for sports and other outdoor activities. However, Samsung have yet to verify this or even make comment on the eyewear.
At present, Google Inc. is testing their early version of Google Glass amongst 10 000 people in the United States after allowing the public a preview of the Internet-connected eyewear in June of last year. The early version is able to record videos, take pictures, navigate maps and work harmoniously with a smartphone.
Meanwhile, there are a handful of other tech companies exploring ways to bring mobile computing into everyday objects like glasses and watches. It was Samsung that last year introduced a smartphone-connected watch known as the Galaxy Gear and Sony has also announced bringing a smart watch to the market.
All that’s left to do is watch this space for more on the Samsung smart-eyewear!
