Google now letting Glass users invite others to buy device

Remember when you needed an invitation to get a Gmail account? Google is using a similar system to sell its smartglasses to more users.

The Mountain View, Calif., tech company announced Monday that current Google Glass users will be able to extend an invitation to buy one of the company’s $1,500 smartglasses to three of their friends.

Google has yet to release Glass to the general public, but earlier this year, thousands of users were able to buy the device after being selected and invited by Google to be “Glass Explorers.”

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The company is unlikely to launch Glass to all consumers until next year, but Monday’s announcement seems to indicate that Google may be close since it is expanding its early program.

Those who receive invitations from current Glass users will have the option of ordering the device online or visiting Google to pick up the gadget.

“We’re counting on you to get Glass to the people you think will make great Explorers,” the company said on Google+. “More Explorers means more feedback, and more feedback means better Glass.”

Google is also allowing current users to swap out their Glass devices with newer versions for free. The new models look exactly the same as before but have been slightly modified so they can work with new shades and fit prescription frames, which will be available in the future.

The new models also come with a mono ear bud so users can receive sound directly into their ears. Currently, Glass transmits sounds through vibrations that users feel on the sides of their heads.

Current users will have two months to swap out their units of Glass. Google said the swap is an opportunity for users to also switch the color of their device.

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