At Google I/O on Tuesday, we finally got to see what Google and Samsung’s future smart glasses will look like, in design variations made with Warby Parker and Gentle Monster. And I got to demo what the glasses can do, too, although I haven’t worn the Warby and Gentle Monster models yet.
The “Intelligent Eyewear” don’t have official names yet, something Google’s head of XR, Shahram Izadi, told me will be up to individual eyewear makers to decide. But the glasses will be officially released in the fall, while Samsung’s July Unpacked event will also go into further details.
Watch this: The Future of Smart Glasses Is Coming This Fall
The glasses will come in both single-display and no-display models, all with single cameras, microphones and speakers, much like Meta’s Ray-Ban line. They’ll also work with WearOS watches and run notifications and smart widgets from Android phones, or even pair with iOS phones to a degree.
The Gentle Monster frames look even more distinct.
Both display and non-display models should support a wide range of prescriptions, Izadi told me, something I hope supports my eyes. Meta’s display glasses don’t. However, it looks like the audio glasses are launching first this fall, while the display-enabled models launch later.
I got a whole early look at Google’s entire eyewear lineup, including Project Aura and talked to Samsung and Google about it. The only thing I haven’t done is wear the new designs.
