It wasn't cheap to buy into the earliest round of Google Glass testing, but Google is now offering an unexpected benefit: a free hardware upgrade.
In an e-mail sent to early Google Glass owners on Wednesday, the company offered to upgrade the $1,500 Explorer Edition headsets to a newer model for free. Google said that the newer model is faster, more durable, and compatible with upcoming prescription frames and the recently announced accessories such as the mono-earbud and the sunglasses attachment Shades.
The one-time swap-out offer covers all Glass models purchased before October 28, 2013, and is good for 60 days until February 5, 2014. Headsets will be replaced on a first-come, first-served basis, and Glass owners can use the swap to change their headset colors. The new model comes with a renewed one-year warranty.
Google also teased but did not disclose plans for the older headsets. "We get that you might be a little sad to part with your Glass; you've been through a lot together. So, we're going to make sure that your old Glass is duly honored when you send it back. Stay tuned," the company wrote in the e-mail.