Google Glass rumors: New design leaks in patent filing, price increase?

(PHOTO: REUTERS / DAVID W CERNY)A woman wears Google glasses after a media presentation of a Google apartment in Prague May 15, 2014.

The dorky Google Glass will get a makeover in both the design and price, reports have mentioned.

CNET has spotted a US patent granted to Google engineers Mitchell Heinrich and Eliot Kim.

Patent number US D710,928 S shows a drawing of ordinary-looking glasses and refers to a "wearable display device."

On his personal website, Heinrich describes his involvement in "Project Glass" as:

"Early stage mechanical architecture layout. Lead the consumer packaging development for the explorer release. Developed human factors numerical and physical models to fit Glass on as many people as possible. Co-developed the bone conduction audio system including component design and testing. Broad range of low and high fidelity prototype development."

The Google Glass design today is unflattering and makes a user look like he has just stepped out of a sci-fi movie set.

Back in March, Reuters reported that Google teamed up with Luxottica, makers of the Ray-Ban, to stamp their supposedly cool design on Google Glass.

"We believe the challenge of convincing consumers to wear computers on their face is a fashion problem as much as it is a technology problem," said UBS analyst Fred Speirs about the logic behind the tie-up between Google and Luxottica.

The promise of Google's wearable device has been overshadowed by its overall awkward design, and as a result, the public reception is polarized.

Changes have also become inevitable with the departure of Babak Parviz, the creator of Google Glass and the director at the stealthy Google lab.

His Google Plus profile reads: "I founded and led a few efforts at Google (among them, Google Glass and Google Contact Lenses are public so far :) prior to moving to Amazon and work on a few other things now."

Parviz left the Mountain View-based tech giant to join Amazon in July for an undisclosed position.

At the moment, Google Glass sells for $1,500, but the latest model might carry a more expensive price tag.

The Glass Explorer Program, an open beta, grants US residents the chance to participate in the development of future Glass products upon purchase.

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