Google Glass: SWOT Analysis

GOOGLE GLASS: SWOT ANALYSIS

Strengths of Google glass come easily. The Google Glass has many of the qualities in many of todays devices such as computers, smartphones, tablets, iPads, navigation devices, and even cameras in a small piece of glass you can wear. What makes the Google Glass truly unique is the speed at which it can pull up information while keeping it invisible to others. Google Glass offers a truly hands free experience. There is no need to pull out your smartphone, it is simply controlled by voice commands. It makes life easier when sending texts, drafting emails, searching the internet, and taking pictures. Google Glass is designed for people on the move and easily incorperated with apps such as Google Maps. It allows you to focus on the environment around you instead of focusing on the directions on your iPhone screen. 

Weaknesses include possible vision impairment, distraction, and implementation according to blog.newegg.com. Not only does Google disclose their product make cause eye strain and headaches, it has also been thought to distract users while limiting their peripheral vision. This is incredibly dangerous when driving or doing physical activity as it creates blind spots for users. Additionally, not everyone is on board. It has the potential for large law suits because people and businesses are unsure when they are bring recorded. For this reason the movie industry recently banned the product from theaters and this has created greater skepticism moving forward. 

Opportunity within Google Glass is incredible and has triggered software entrepreneurs an avenue to develop and innovate many new mobile tech apps. These new apps, called "Glassware", are not only a large opportunity for the application developers, but also for Google who benefits from the increasing number and uses and applications to their product. 

To give an example of the opportunity and job creation the Google Glass provides, I would like to reiterate an example USA Today wrote on regarding a man named Tim Moore. Tim, a social media strategist, was one of the first adapters of the Google Glass, however noticed one of its main problem. He couldn't wear them with his prescription glasses. This led to his partnering with Rochester Optical and his production of the first prescription lenses and designer frames for the Google Glass. 

This is just one example of the many opportunities this new technology creates. 

Threat to our privacy? With this new technology users are able to simply say "OK Glass, record a video" or "OK Glass take a picture". One of the main and most discussed threats of the Google Glass is its possible intrusion on personal privacy. You are unable to know is someone is filming you at any point and whether or not they are uploading it to Google servers (a Google+ page). This is an interesting topic due to the company it is associated with. It isn't some random technology company, but "this is the company that has repeatedly breached the boundaries of what we think is 'private'". Google could easily sell much of the data they collect through the glass putting much of users privacy at stake. 

Another argument against the glass and possible threat is the possibility of an increased amount of accountability for "easily pardonable activities". Google Glass would dramatically increase the amount of pictures on social media sites that would harm peoples reputations. Employers often look to social media sites to see if there is any alcohol or drug related pictures. Most of the US community uses or has used one of these two and with increase use of Google Glass, it would be much easier for other people to record, capture, and post incriminating images and videos. 

In my opinion the privacy and ethical issues out weight the upside with Google Glass. It would be interesting to try for a day, but I am skeptical with the information it collects and what Google then does with this information.  

Sources: 

http://blog.newegg.com/the-pros-and-cons-of-google-glass/

https://sites.google.com/a/cortland.edu/google-glasses/advantages

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2013/12/15/baverman-entrepreneurs-and-startups-google-glass/3642973/

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/mar/06/google-glass-threat-to-our-privacy

http://www.edrants.com/thirty-five-arguments-against-google-glass/