Smart glasses shipments expected to reach 9.4 million by 2016

Shawn Knight

Posts: 15,256   +192
Staff member

ihs expect smart glasses

Google Glass has been in the hands of developers for less than a month but that isn’t stopping one research firm from making some bold predictions about the future of smart glasses. According to a new report from IHS iSuppli, roughly 10 million smart glasses will have shipped by 2016.

That’s a considerable number when you consider that only 50,000 kits shipped in 2012, mostly from generic brands that won’t really factor into the overall success or failure of the product line. Growth is pegged at 150 percent this year, mostly from developers anxious to get in on the ground floor with new apps. That figure is expected to jump to as many as 6.6 million units in 2016, however.

Consumer adoption isn’t really expected until 2014 when Google Glass hits the market. At that time, IHS forecasts a jump in shipments by 250 percent. But that, of course, will depend primarily on just how popular Glass is among buyers. Key to its success, the firm said, lies with developers. If they fail to produce meaningful software for the device, shipments could be much lower than anticipated.

Theo Ahadome, senior analyst at IHS, said the true success of Glass will be when it can provide information to users that isn’t apparent when viewing people, places or things. Examples include live updates for travel, location reviews and recommendations, nutritional information and data about previous encounters to help make decisions. He said the upside for smart glasses will be when they can become a powerful information platform much like Google is today.

Permalink to story.

 
Even though I'm not personally interested, I can honestly say I would not be surprised if the prediction comes true. People will buy anything just to say "look what I have". I've seen it so many times with people who don't have extra money to spend.
 
Am I the only one who doesn't see the point at all of google glasses? They are basically a bad looking wearable video recorder with a few other features thrown in. People are actually going to walk around with these all day?? I could see a use if u need a wearable video recorded but I'm sure there are much cheaper options. Maybe I'm missing something.
 
Am I the only one who doesn't see the point at all of google glasses? They are basically a bad looking wearable video recorder with a few other features thrown in. People are actually going to walk around with these all day?? I could see a use if u need a wearable video recorded but I'm sure there are much cheaper options. Maybe I'm missing something.
Thats exactly why I'm not interested. The fact that they are from Google doesn't help my desire either.
 
Well, I already know of one bar in Seattle that has banned them. In fact, they encourage the other customers to "kick the ***" of anyone who shows up with them.

I'm betting a lot of other places ban them too. I know when I'm trying to relax in a pub, movie, sporting event, whatever - I REALLY don't want some fool taking a video of me. This can be a complete invasion of privacy.
 
Google Glasses "a pedophiles wet dream" - thanks Google, [SNAP] now [SNAP] perving at [SNAP] young [SNAP] [SNAP] girls will be [SNAP] easier.
 
Well my son came up with the idea of 3D contact lenses. out of the mouthes of babes. this was six years ago too
 
What they expect & what they get are two different things. I'll buy a pair but only if I can fax Google a cheque payment. I just can't see the sense in these things.
 
I prefer smart googles or smart visor (with wide transparent-display covering your eyes) with augmented reality rather than just tiny smart glasses
 
People wearing these will be just about one half notch higher on the cool scale than those people you see sporting BT headsets. The upside is you won't see people wearing BT headsets anymore.
 
Back