Google has unveiled the design of new smart glasses at its I/O developer conference, returning to a market it tried — and failed — to crack more than a decade ago with Google Glass, Ada Derana reported, citing AFP.
The new “audio glasses,” expected to go on sale later this year, will challenge Meta, which has built a commanding lead in the smart-eyewear category with its Ray-Ban smart glasses, which have sold at least seven million units.
Google’s frames will be equipped with a microphone, camera and small speaker, and allow users to make calls, listen to music, take photos and chat with the Gemini AI assistant. The company unveiled two collections at the I/O event near its Mountain View, California, headquarters: one from US eyewear brand Warby Parker and one from South Korean designer Gentle Monster. Samsung handled the technical development. The glasses will be compatible with both Android and Apple phones.
Google has not given a firm release date or pricing. A separate prototype with a built-in display is also “advancing” in developer testing, the company said.
The launch marks Google’s long-awaited return to a sector where it suffered one of its most high-profile failures. Google Glass, released in 2013 with an integrated camera, was shelved after sparking widespread concerns about privacy and surveillance. This time, the company is betting on design — partnering with fashion-forward eyewear brands rather than building a single Google-branded device — to win consumers over.
The I/O unveiling builds on Google’s broader Android and Gemini AI upgrades showcased ahead of the conference. The smart-glasses category has emerged as Big Tech’s next contested hardware front, with Meta’s Ray-Ban Stories now joined by ambitions from Google, Samsung, and a growing roster of luxury eyewear partners.
Source: Ada Derana.
