Google To Triple Size Of Glass Explorer Program, Give Away Upgraded Version Of Glass

If you want to have your own Google Glass and know someone that already has it, now’s a good time to be extra friendly.

Google has announced plans to triple the Glass Explorer program by letting current Explorers invite up to three friends each to get their own Glass. The new Explorers will still have to pay the full Explorer price, which is $1,500 plus tax.

In addition, we’ve been experimenting with ways to expand the Explorer Program and it’s been going really well. So over the next few weeks, all Explorers will have the opportunity to invite three friends to join the program. They’ll be able to buy Glass online and can have it shipped to their home, office, treehouse or igloo. We’re counting on you to get Glass to the people you think will make great Explorers. More Explorers means more feedback, and more feedback means better Glass.

Meanwhile, current Explorers will also soon get an invite of their own — a chance to trade in their existing, original version of Glass for a newer, upgraded version:

We want to say “thank you” for all the amazing feedback we’ve been getting, so later this year, all Explorers will have a one-time option to swap out their existing Glass for a new one. This hardware update will allow your Glass to work with future lines of shades and prescription frames, and we’ll also include a mono earbud.

This is all welcome news to Explorers, especially the news about a newer version of the device that’ll be more compatible with future enhancement (like prescription frames). Google has indicated for some time now that it planned to expand the Explorer program before Glass starts selling to the public in 2014.