In a move to protect privacy concerns, Google recently announced that, at least for now, they will not permit the development of face-recognition features for its Google Glass device.

Google Glass, which some say signals a real move from the clunky confines of the current technology to the next generation of technology, remains the most promising tech advancements in recent years. Face-recognition seemed the next step in the product’s evolution. In a post on Google +, the company left the door open, saying that future apps related to facial recognition may someday be allowed.

“When we started the Explorer Program nearly a year ago our goal was simple: we wanted to make people active participants in shaping the future of this technology ahead of a broader consumer launch,” the company said in a statement. “As Google has said for several years, we won’t add facial recognition features to our products without having strong privacy protections in place. With that in mind, we won’t be approving any facial recognition Glassware at this time.”

And that’s the hope some consumers are holding onto – that face-recognition will be a feature in the very near future. In fact, the running joke has been running into people and seeing their old high school yearbook, while the Atlantic Wire’s Connor Simpson has noted that some consumers have expressed concerns over privacy.

“One of the biggest fears about Google Glass’s pending world takeover is creeps using Google’s face computer to recognize them, look up their awful prom pictures, or any number of things, all without permission and on the spot. Those people can now rest easy.”

But it seems very likely that when Google authorizes an app, it’s going to be practical and fall within those favorite “productivity,” “social networking,” categories we’ve all come to appreciate. The more immediate concern regarding Google Glass is that with a gesture as simple as a wink, you can surreptitiously take pictures of people anywhere. Sure, that’s problematic, but emblematic of the mobile world we’re living in.

However, its uses could be something out of a sci-fi movie. Take Tom Cruise’s Minority Report for example. Maybe you’ll be able to anticipate a crime before it happens: You see someone suspicious on the street, so you run a quick scan of their face and see public information. Or, how about a Rolodex of faces? Sometimes you can remember a face but can’t place the name, Google Glass might help in this regard.

Adult-themed content is already being developed for Google Glass, but when it comes to seeing an unfamiliar face in a crowded room, sometimes you just can’t have it all.