Samsung files patent for Google Glass competitor ‘sports glasses’

“Galaxy Glasses” does have a ring to it. Though that’s not the official name of Samsung’s new Google Glass concept alternative. Instead a patent for “sports glasses” has recently been filed with Samsung looking to further enter the wearable tech industry.

As The Wall Street Journal reports, the South Korean tech giant has recently been spotted filing a patent for a Google Glass of its own. “This design is of a type [of glasses] with earphones integrated, allowing [users] to take phone calls and listen to music during workouts,” reads a section attached to the concept drawings.

Like the Galaxy Gear, the so-called “sports glasses” are linked to your smartphone that will then display notifications through a little display on the left-hand side of your vision. That’s unlike Google Glass where the display is on your right-hand side. So at least Samsung’s trying to be a little different.

Other than that, there’s not much else to distinguish the looks from Google Glass. Furthermore, the device features a lens that is either transparent or translucent with a micro USB cable that will hang around your neck.

Charging wearable tech has been one of the most controversial issues when it comes to adopting this technology. Samsung’s smartwatch, the Galaxy Gear, apparently only holds for less than one day for instance.

Regardless of these issues, wearable tech is looking to explode in the next few years. As far as smartwatches go, there are more than 500 000 Samsung Galaxy Gears expected to be shipped in 2013 according to Bloomberg. Big players such as Apple, Microsoft, HTC and Nokia are also supposedly playing with the idea.

According to a Juniper Research report, retail sales of internet-connected wearable devices, including watches and glasses, will reach US$19-billion by 2018, compared with US$1.4-billion this year. If this device gets released in the future, let’s hope it’s compatible with all Android device, and not just Samsung products.

Images via Engadget