While the tech media have been all agog over Google Glass, it seems like the general public has its reservations about the upcoming wearable gadget. Recent studies show that while people are highly aware about Google Glass, they have reservations about wearing one.
The Medill School of Journalism in Northwestern University conducted a research about the public’s perception of Google Glass. In an interview with 1,210 mobile device owners with ages between 49 and 59, more than half of them said they had heard about the wearable computing device. Awareness and willingness to purchase and try on the device are high among men. Two-thirds of the respondents said they would or might be willing to utilize the wearable device in special cases such as traveling.
Among those who expressed little or no interest in trying on Google Glass, the most-cited reasons include the potential for distraction and the perceived steep cost (the developer version of Glass costs $1,500 a pair, although that may not be the suggested retail price). About 25 percent of respondents who said they would not use the device cited personal privacy issues. Other respondents said they are anxious about looking goofy or silly when donning Google Glass.
Meanwhile, one-third of the respondents said they would not pay a single cent for Google Glass. For those who are willing to shell out some dough, two in five participates said they would pay up to $100, while about one in five would cough up to $200. Google Glass will likely to cost more than that.
In another survey among smartphone owners conducted by Bite Interactive last May, only one in 10 Americans would be willing to wear Google Glass on a regular basis. Those who do not want to wear them cite “awkward aesthetic” and “seemed irritating” among its reasons.
Source: Medill School of Journalism, via Mashable
