Google Glass 2 'will clip on' and 'may already be in your office'

We know Google Glass 2 is being worked up, and that, at least in its 'Enterprise Edition' (EE) form, it'll be for work and not play, business and not being beaten up in bars. The latest word is that Google is already quietly testing it in workplaces - hey, maybe yours! - and experimenting with how it looks and works.

The Wall Street Journal is reporting the new version is already out there in "industries such as health care, manufacturing and energy," with surgeons and field workers already putting it through its paces.

WSJ's sources say the device being tested, rather than being a full pair of specs, features "a button-and-hinge system to attach it to different glasses." That doesn't rule out other versions that take the previous form factor, of course.

Re-imagining Google Glass as a work tool makes perfect sense, as at work privacy and people thinking you look odd are less of an issue than on the street or in a bar full of aggressive drunks.

However, interestingly, WSJ's "people familiar with the matter" claim Google wants to eventually release a new consumer version, too.

Here's what Google Glass Explorers want to see in version 2

The WSJ also repeats 9to5Google's older story about two almost-certainly-true claims: that Google Glass 2 will have a better Intel processor (an Atom, most likely) and longer battery life. The latter being at least partly thanks to a magnetically-attaching, external battery pack.

These improvements seem like a given to us, due to a) very common complaints about the original and b) technological progress.

Google Glass 2 is also set to feature a "longer, thinner" display, able to be "moved vertically as well as horizontally," and to be better proofed against damage and water. Again, useful in the workplace. But also whilst surfing.

Via WSJ