How much would you pay for the opportunity to own Google's upcoming Glass eyewear? If you're answering mirrors those of respondents in a recent poll on the subject, you may find it difficult to justify spending more than $500 for the smartphone-like visor.
A full 46 percent said they would not spend more than $500 for a product that currently commands three times that amount. Nearly a quarter of respondents said they wouldn't shell out more than a grand for the device. Of the 16 percent not interested in buying the product, more than half said the likely high price of ownership was the main deterrent. Only six percent said they would spend whatever it takes to get their hands, err, faces, on the hi-tech gadget.
When asked how they would use Google Glass, 47 percent of those polled said they would use it to capture family moments that would be difficult to perform with a traditional camera or smartphone. One third of respondents plan to use the device for work purposes.
So what exactly does all of this data mean? In short, Google will need to price Glass significantly lower than the current $1,500 asking price if they want this to be a consumer hit. The search giant is of course well aware of this fact and has even admitted they will retail for less but exactly how much less remains to be seen. All we know at this point is that the augmented reality visor is on track to ship before the end of this year.