Google Glass given to a few developers to work on applications

NEW DELHI: Google has given its highly- anticipated gadget Google Glass to developers to work on creating more applications for the platform, a top company official said today.

The California-headquartered firm, however, did not give any particular date for the Indian or global launch of Google Glass -- a wearable computer with a head-mounted display.

"We are giving away a few for the developers ... the idea is for them to develop using the Google Glass platform so we can find out what interesting applications can be added in addition to what we already have," Google SVP and Chief Business Officer Nikesh Arora told reporters here when asked about the time of launch of the gadget.

"It is already being rolled out. There are people who had signed up to buy it. We had asked people to give us a description of why it makes sense for them to have Google Glass. We have lots of people respond to that and we have chosen a subset of those people and the plan is to let them have it, let them generate applications for it," he added.

In February this year, Google launched a contest where it asked participants to submit an application, 'ifihadglass', explaining what they would do with Google Glass technology.

On being prodded about the launch of the device in India, he added, "It has not been launched to consumers anywhere in the world. It has been given to a select developers."

On the initial responses from developers about the product he said it was too "early to talk on the feedback".

On target consumers, he said: First idea is to have applications that people find interesting."

While addressing a roundtable on advertising market and it future prospects, Arora said digital advertising will take time to catch up in India.

As per a joint report by Internet and Mobile Association of India and IMRB International, online advertising market has grown by 29 per cent year-on-year to Rs 2,260 crore by March, 2013 and is expected to reach Rs 2,938 crore by March 2014.

It includes search, display, mobile, social media, email and video advertising.

The report said online advertising market on an average is expected to grow by 40 per cent annually in four years.

According to industry estimates, digital advertising forms 7-10 per cent of the total advertising market in India.