Google announced Glass Enterprise Edition 2 on May 20, 2019, adding Android Enterprise device-management support to a wearable computer intended for hands-free work. Workers can use Glass to consult instructions and checklists or send inspection images while working on a physical task. For manufacturers, the release joins two needs: getting instructions in front of the person doing the job, and administering the devices that carry them. [S1]

An earlier deployment shows what the instruction side can involve. In a July 2017 company announcement reproduced by the Iowa-Nebraska Equipment Dealers Association, agricultural-equipment maker AGCO described using Glass with Proceedix software for assembly and quality work. AGCO said workers could scan a machine’s serial number to retrieve a manual, photograph or video, then use voice commands to leave notes for the next shift. The useful link is between the machine’s identity and the instructions for that machine. Keeping that link correct remains part of the job. [S2]

The second-generation hardware uses Qualcomm’s Snapdragon XR1 platform. Google also announced Glass-compatible safety frames developed with Smith Optics, improved camera performance and a USB-C port for faster charging. It said battery life had increased, without giving a duration in the announcement. These changes describe the equipment being offered; they do not establish whether it will last a particular shift or suit every manufacturing environment. A buyer still needs to assess the intended task and protective-equipment requirements. [S1]

Fleet administration was already part of the earlier product’s ecosystem. In July 2017, VMware announced AirWatch support for Glass Enterprise Edition, describing enrollment, application deployment and device policies managed alongside phones and laptops from a central console. Google’s May 2019 announcement adds that Edition 2 runs on Android and supports Android Enterprise Mobile Device Management. Those statements come from different product generations: VMware’s earlier announcement should not be read as confirmation that a particular Edition 2 setup has been tested. Together, they put application delivery and device policies on the rollout checklist. [S1][S4]

The inspection camera needs rules of its own. Google describes inspection photographs, video and first-person collaboration as Glass uses. As a matter of responsible deployment, a factory should decide what gets recorded, who can see it and how long it is needed before asking employees to use those features. That is an operational recommendation, not a claim that Google’s announcement specifies a retention policy or that a customer is using the device to monitor staff. [S1]

Google said businesses could approach its sales team or solution partners for Edition 2 from the announcement date. AGCO’s documented examples help define a task to evaluate—finding the correct assembly instructions and passing work notes between shifts—but they concern the earlier Glass deployment. They cannot establish how much training time the new device saves. [S1][S2]

Source documents

  1. Glass Enterprise Edition 2: faster and more helpfulhttps://blog.google/products-and-platforms/devices/glass-enterprise-edition-2/
  2. AGCO Improved Productivity and Accuracy Using Assisted Reality with Glasshttps://ineda.com/news/agco-improved-productivity-and-accuracy-using-assisted-reality-with-glass/
  3. VMware AirWatch Announces Same-Day Support for Google Glass Enterprise Editionhttps://blogs.vmware.com/euc/2017/07/google-glass-enterprise.html