Google Glass public release date is still a mystery, may not be this year at all

Some of you reading this can already buy Google Glass, but many of you won’t, due to either not living in America, or not having $1500 to spend on a piece of tech. If you fall into the latter camp, but are still wanting to get your hands (face?) on Glass, then you’ll be eagerly anticipating news of a general release. Google’s Sergey Brin has given an update on the situation, but it’s not good news.

Speaking at the Code Conference, Brin was asked when Glass would be put on sale for the general public. He responded, “I’d hope we could by the end of the year, but I’m not sure.” There’s still six months to go before the end of 2014, and it’s surprising Google isn’t convinced Glass is ready for anyone to buy. Revealed in June 2012, Glass has already undergone almost two years of testing, and received considerable press coverage in that time.

There has never been an official release window for Google Glass, so the company isn’t missing any self-imposed deadlines, but rumors have been rife the product would be finalized for Google I/O this year. Brin’s words certainly make this sound highly unlikely, unless he’s holding back for the big day, plus he’s also quoted as saying “We’re still in the explorer phase [Explorer is the name given to test versions of Glass], we’re still learning.”

Despite having no release date in sight, Brin was happy to continue singing Glass’s praises. He said he’s always using it outside, and it makes him “more present” with his children. Wearing Glass removes the smartphone barrier between them, enabling him to take better, and more personal, pictures in situations where it would be impossible if he was relying on a smartphone.

Google is already facing a backlash against Glass, but larger problems could arrive in September, when Samsung is rumored to reveal its own smart eyewear product, known tentatively as Gear Glass. If Samsung does launch its own glasses with the Note 4 at IFA 2014, it could end up beating Google into stores, something it’ll probably be very pleased about. At the moment, Google just seems to be happy to maintain’s Glass’s exclusivity.