Google Glass May Be On Shaky Ground, But Sony’s Showing Off Its New Smart Eyeware

Sony’s SmartEyeglass Attach! is something it debuted at the Consumer Electronics Show this year, offering up a smart display module that adds connected intelligence to any kind of existing eyeware, be they optical frames, protective goggles or sunglasses. The concept design is very similar in practice to Google Glass, so it might be surprising that Sony has now released its first video of the device in action following the CES debut, when Google has just wound down its initial Glass project and gone back to the drawing board.

But in fact, Sony is a much more logical place for Glass to take root and prosper. The company does, after all, make a range of devices that suit a number of verticals. It has action cameras, for instance, with niche appeal mostly limited to those who enjoy extreme sports, and it also serves enterprise needs with variations on its VAIO line. The SmartEyeglass Attach! is a concept that refines its own Glass-like SmartEyeglass for more flexibility, creating a modular device that’s optimally suited for industrial, enterprise and action sports user without requiring consumers to pick up expensive additional gear.

Sony is encouraging developers to build for the platform, and given that this is already v2 of its smart eyeware concept, they might be the best bet when it comes to building for the long-term. Sony could swoop in and capitalize on any doubt produced by Google’s walking back of the Glass Explorer program to take an early lead in this market, especially if it gears its efforts towards serving the niche industrial, enterprise and healthcare applications where Glass was showing a lot of promise.