Microsoft may be preparing a competitor to Google Glass, according to a new report, though little information on what the product may entail was provided.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Microsoft "is testing prototypes for Internet-connected eyewear similar to Google Glass," citing sources with knowledge of the development. Beyond that statement, however, The Journal provided no informational about the product, such as if it even has a chance to reach the consumer market.
The report follows the discovery of a 2012 patent filing Microsoft submitted for augmented reality glasses. That filing attempts to patent "the system and related methods for inviting a potential player to participate in a multiplayer game via a user head-mounted display device." According to the filing, Microsoft's proposed glasses would use both visual and voice recognition and be capable of facial recognition and eye tracking.
In June 2012, a leaked Microsoft product roadmap mentioned a pair of computing glasses code-named "Fortazela." The roadmap stated a WiFi version of the glasses was slated for release in late 2014, followed by a version for cellular networks sometime in 2015.
Source: The Wall Street Journal | Image via U.S. Patent & Trademark Office
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