Luxottica is working on a second version of Google Glass, CEO says it’s coming soon

Eyewear maker Luxottica is working on the second version of Google Glass. The Italian company’s CEO Massimo Vian confirmed the partnership with Google is going ahead, saying version 2 is in the works and will be out soon, according to The Wall Street Journal.

“In Google, there are some second thoughts on how to interpret version 3 [of the eyewear],” Vian told his company’s shareholders at the company’s general meeting in Milan. “What you saw was version 1. We’re now working on version 2, which is in preparation.”

Vian was recently in California to meet Glass’ new team. Aside from the above, he apparently didn’t provide any details about specific timing for the new product’s launch.

In January, Google stopped selling the first version of Google Glass and shut down the Glass Explorer Program. The company further announced the project was “graduating” from Google[x] and that it was “moving even more from concept to reality.”

The promise was clear: “In the meantime, we’re continuing to build for the future, and you’ll start to see future versions of Glass when they’re ready.” There hasn’t been much news since then.

Luxottica, which controls over 80 percent of the world’s major eyewear brands, including Ray-Ban and Oakley, is not exactly a new Google Glass partner. Back in March 2014, the company agreed to help Google design and manufacture new Google Glass frames.

Google’s biggest problem with Glass was that consumers simply didn’t want a device on their face. This was also tied to social stigma and privacy concerns; Luxottica will presumably be helping with the design to give version 2 more of a fighting chance.

Google Glass 2, or whatever the new version ends up being called, is expected not only to have a better design, but to cost less (the Explorer edition went for $1,500). It should also have longer battery life, improved sound quality, and a better display.