Only one in 10 American smartphone owners say they would regularly wear Google’s upcoming augmented reality eyewear, citing ‘social awkwardness’ as a key off-putting factor, according to a new survey.
The report, called Google Glass Adoption Forecast, conducted by BiTE interactive, quizzed 1,000 U.S. adults.
45% of respondents said they wouldn’t wear Google Glass because of its awkward aesthetic or because the device seemed irritating.
Even if it were priced low enough — much lower than the $1,500 it is going for now during its beta period — about 38% of respondents said they still wouldn’t wear it.
Not everyone is against Glass. About 44% of those who would wear the gadget cited taking pictures as its most compelling feature, while 39% said they would want to make phone calls with it and 37% want to use it to record video.
“The average American perceives Google Glass as a toy made solely for the tech-savvy elites,” said Joseph Farrell, EVP of operations at BiTE interactive. “This aura of exclusivity further limits the user base for Google Glass, as smartphone users are likely to remain satisfied using their existing iPhone or Android apps to accomplish daily activities like taking pictures or searching for directions.”
Watch this video from the BBC’s Rory Cellan-Jones, demonstrating the device in action.
Source: http://www.bite-interactive.com/
