Google Glass Gets A Software Update That Tightens Ties To Google+

Less than two days into my Google Glass ownership and I’m already getting a software update.

As Phandroid first reported, the Google Glass software is getting the “XE5” update — XE stands for “Explorer edition” — and I’ll be able to check it out as soon as I get a chance to plug the device into its charger. (That’s the only way to receive Glass software updates from the mothership.)

One of the bigger aspects of this software upgrade appears to be a wider and tighter integration of Google+. As I mentioned yesterday in my Google Glass diary, day one article, the ties between Glass and Google+ were fairly limited — share photos/videos to existing circles and initiate a Google+ Hangout.

But that’s changing. Phandroid received the full XE5 changelog from Google, which includes these two Plus-related items:

• Incoming G+ notifications (direct shares, comments, +mentions), including ability to comment and +1
• Incoming Hangout notifications

I wouldn’t call myself a highly active Google+ user, but that may change as I use Glass and the two integrate more tightly. (Note to Twitter and Facebook: Get your apps ready to go before Glass is sent out to the #ifihadglass contest winners.)

The rest of the changelog looks like this:

• Change to sync policy: require power + wifi for background uploads
• Crash reporting
• Transcription of queries & messages is now wicked-fast
• Long-press to search from anywhere in the UI (no longer just from off)
• International number dialing + SMS
• Hop animation on disallowed swipes in the UI
• New On-Head Detection calibration flow
• Show device Serial Number on Device Info card
• More reliable estimation of battery charge remaining
• New recipient-list mosaic

One other Glass-related update to pass along: CNET reports that Yahoo is considering making a Glass app. CEO Marissa Mayer made the comments at a conference on Tuesday, saying that Yahoo engineers have developer editions of Glass and are looking at the opportunities it may present to share Yahoo content with users.

Facebook, Twitter and others have previously said they’re also interested in developing something for Google Glass.