Google Glass: 10 Improvements We'd Like to See

Google Glass is set to be a game-changing product, but it's still in the prototype stages of development, with plenty of room for improvement - here is our list of ten updates we'd like to see before the gadget goes on sale to the public next year.

Better battery life

Google claims the battery life of Glass Explorer Edition is "all day", but in reality owners of the $1,500 (£945) gadget have struggled to get more than a few hours out of it; video recording seriously impacts battery stamina, and since that is one of Glass's major features, Google will need to work to make that all-day claim a reality - no matter how you use it.

Better sound built in

Glass has a single bone conduction speaker which sit above the user's right ear, directing sound as vibrations into their skull. This prevents people nearby from hearing anything, but the sound is fairly quiet and of average quality - and as there's only one speaker, listening to music through Glass is far from ideal. Google is to sell a pair of $85 earphones later this month, but these plug into the device's microUSB port - we'd rather see integrated speakers to keep Glass's design as simple as possible.

Nano SIM support

Currently, Glass requires a Bluetooth connection to your Android smartphone for it to make calls and send text messages. Video chats, instant messages and emails can be sent over a Wi-Fi connection instead, but both of these solutions make Glass feel limited in its uses - after all, if it requires a nearby phone, why not just use that to make the call, especially given using Glass while driving is claimed to be unsafe.

Nano SIM cards are tiny and could be installed into Glass - it just depends if Google can shrink the various cellular antennas and hardware needed to make the device function as a phone, and package it into Glass's body. Only when Glass can entirely replace a smartphone, will it be seen as a game-changing device, rather than a cool accessory.

Camera viewfinder

Saying "Ok, Glass...take a picture" is great, but photos taken don't always come out how you had hoped. Because there is no viewfinder, the wearer has to point their head in roughly the right direction, which produces photos that are often slanted or badly composed.

Projecting a preview of what the photo will look like would solve this.

Better in bright light

Glass's projector is what converts the device from a clever head-mounted camera to a prop from a Sci-fi film. Beaming information into the user's right eye, the projector can call up Google search results, maps with directions, music, messages, video calls and more - but it struggles to work in bright light.

When using Glass, I found looking out of the window on a sunny day would wash out the projector so I could no longer see it. A brighter image would help, but then a sensor will be needed to adjust this when in darker environments - just as laptops and smartphones automatically alter their screen brightness.

Smaller design

Google Glass was always going to appeal to technology fans, but its bulky design will fail to strike a chord with the vast majority of smartphone owners who value aesthetics as much as functionality.

This won't be easy - especially if Google can include some of the extra features outlined above - but a reduction in bulk will make the device more appealing. If its design stays the same, Google will struggle to sell it widely enough to make the years of development worthwhile.

Partnership with Ray Ban and others

On a similar note, a partnership with Ray Ban, Oakley and other famous sunglasses manufacturers would surely help Google get over Glass's design shortfalls.

If the technology of Glass could be integrated with regular glasses from the likes of Ray Ban, the search giant will quickly find itself plastered over fashion magazines and advertisements where it previously had no right to be.

Such a partnership will be a risk for both parties, but without it Google will struggle to crack the lucrative fashion industry - and given the publicity shots of Glass worn by catwalk models, this is a market Google is keen to enter.

iOS compatibility

Currently, Google Glass only works with Android devices through the My Glass app. We'd love to see an iOS alternative connecting iPhones and iPads to the device, but given Apple CEO Tim Cook's dismissal of Glass-like products, and strong rumours that his company is working on its own wearable tech in the form of a smartwatch, an iOS-ready Glass seems unlikely.

A substantial price cut

The Explorer Edition of Google Glass costs $1,500 - a price widely accepted as being far too expensive for the device to be the mainstream success Google is hoping for.

Glass may have sold well among Android developers and the technology press, but very few everyday consumers will spend so much on an accessory for their smartphone.

When speaking to IBTimes UK earlier this year, Maani Safa of Somo, a mobile solutions company and Glass developer, said the gadget will cost £200 when it finally goes on sale to the public.

"Realistically if it was anything higher than that I don't think the uptake would be there to the degree it would need to become ubiquitous and used across the board," Safa told us.

Biometric security

The iPhone 5s recently brought biometric security and fingerprint scanning to the masses with its Touch ID sensor on the home button. Google could capitalise on this by installing a similar reader on the side of Glass, which would unlock the device with a press of your finger, stopping a thief from accessing your contacts, emails and other private data.

A fingerprint scanner also sidesteps Glass's lack of keyboard or number pad, and Google could add an extra layer of security in the form of voice recognition.

Of course, these are merely suggestions and are not based on any rumours or speculation surrounding Glass - we just hope Google adds at least some to the device before it goes on sale next year.