Samsung, Gentle Monster join Google to give smart glasses another go

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Samsung, Gentle Monster join Google to give smart glasses another go

Published: 21 May. 2025, 21:14 Updated: 22 May. 2025, 18:22

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

At the 2025 Google I/O developer conference at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California, on May 20, Shahram Izadi, vice president of Google’s XR division, introduces a prototype of the company’s smart glasses. [YONHAP]

CALIFORNIA — At the 2025 Google I/O developer conference at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California, on Tuesday, Shahram Izadi, vice president of Google’s XR division, stepped onto the stage wearing glasses and said we’ll be able to gain superpowers when we put on glasses — in contrast to Clark Kent from “Superman.”

He then called out to his colleague Nishtha Bhatia, a Google product manager, who appeared wearing the same glasses. The screen that Bhatia was viewing was projected on a big display behind them. At the bottom of the display, content generated by Google’s AI, Gemini — such as search results and explanations — appeared as semitransparent captions and graphics.

The demonstration showcased Google’s latest foray into wearable technology: a pair of prototype smart glasses powered by its Gemini AI assistant. The glasses worn by the two are prototypes of smart glasses that Google is developing. As Bhatia walked onto the stage, she demonstrated several features of the glasses, including inquiring about where she had purchased the coffee she was drinking earlier. The glasses displayed the café’s name and presented its location and details on the display.

Bhatia told Gemini to “capture it and add it to favorites.”

Google announced Tuesday that these smart glasses are part of its Android XR platform, developed in collaboration with Korea’s Samsung Electronics, Korea’s sunglass label Gentle Monster and American eyewear brand Warby Parker. Google, which unveiled its Android XR operating system last year, will provide the software, Samsung will handle the hardware, and Gentle Monster and Warby Parker will be in charge of the design. When the globally popular brand Gentle Monster was mentioned on stage during I/O, the audience responded with applause and cheers.

Trying them on firsthand

At the experience booth, attendees could try on the same smart glasses the presenters wore. A camera is embedded at the top left of the frame, and a small display is built into the right lens, allowing the AI to “see” what the user sees and interact in conversation. The display projects semitransparent text over objects in view, similar to a heads-up display (HUD) on a car’s windshield. However, the prototype shown at I/O was fully developed by Google, from hardware to software to design. The final product will be released after undergoing further development through these partnerships.

Will Google realize its dream of 10 years ago?

Google first entered the smart glasses market in 2013 with its Google Glass, the industry’s first such product. However, poor sales led Google to pull out of the market in 2015. In the meantime, Meta launched the Ray-Ban Meta Glasses in 2021 in partnership with U.S. eyewear brand Ray-Ban, and now controls about 60 percent of the smart glasses market.

With its latest announcement, Google declared its re-entry into the market it once exited, now with improved features and design.

Izadi said during the presentation that glasses must be comfortable enough to wear all day to have real value, and added that Google will work with innovative eyewear brands to create stylish glasses.

On the I/O stage, Google also demonstrated the glasses’ real-time translation feature. When Izadi and Bhatia, wearing the glasses, began speaking in Persian and Hindi, respectively, English translations appeared on their lenses. Though the function is still in its early stages, with occasional lags and glitches, the demo area at I/O was packed with visitors eager to experience Google’s new XR features firsthand. Google’s co-founder, Sergey Brin, also made a surprise appearance at the XR booth and tried out the smart glasses himself.

Meta, Apple also eyeing the smart glasses race

Google isn’t the only tech giant doubling down on smart glasses. Meta and Apple are also aggressively targeting the market. Smart glasses sit closer to the eyes and ears than any other wearable device, making them ideal for delivering advanced audio and visual features powered by AI. This is why Big Tech firms see significant potential in the smart eyewear market.

In addition to the newly revealed smart glasses, Google and Samsung Electronics are co-developing a VR device under the project name “Moohan,” meaning “infinity” in Korean. Meanwhile, Meta plans to launch a premium version of its Ray-Ban smart glasses with an integrated screen later this year. It has even announced that it will release “the first true AR glasses” by 2027. Apple, which already offers the high-end XR headset Vision Pro, is also developing new smart glasses. On May 8, Bloomberg reported that Apple is working on custom chips for its upcoming smart eyewear.

BY KIM MIN-JEONG, HONG SANG-JI [[email protected]]