Google will release its first artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled smart glasses in 2026, marking the company's return to the eyewear market with a more calculated approach than its failed Google Glass experiment a decade ago. The products will run on the company's Android XR operating system and arrive in multiple formats, including models with built-in displays and audio-only versions.
AI Generated Image
Alphabet Inc.'s Google announced Monday that Project Aura, developed with Chinese augmented reality (AR) startup Xreal, will be the first glasses device running Android XR software. Samsung Electronics Co., Warby Parker and Gentle Monster are also among its early hardware partners, though final designs have not been revealed. The move intensifies competition in the emerging AI wearables market dominated by Meta Platforms Inc.
Google also unveiled software improvements for Samsung's $1,800 Galaxy XR headset, including a travel mode enabling use in cars and planes, and a PC Connect app allowing Windows computers to mirror screens in virtual environments. The updates address early user feedback since the headset's launch last month.
The announcement represents a more refined strategy than Google Glass, which flopped due to design issues, poor battery life and privacy concerns.
Android XR Glasses Portfolio Takes Shape
Google is developing two categories of AI glasses with different capabilities. Audio-focused models will use built-in speakers, microphones and cameras to enable conversations with the Gemini AI assistant, photo capture and assistance without screens. Display-equipped versions will feature in-lens screens showing navigation directions, translation captions and other information.
The glasses connect wirelessly to smartphones, which handle processing for tasks like playing music from YouTube Music or analyzing ingredients for recipe suggestions. This approach enables the devices to remain slim and light enough to resemble regular spectacles.
Google demonstrated two prototype designs with built-in displays: a monocular version with a single screen in the right lens, and a binocular model with displays for both eyes. The binocular design supports augmented-reality overlays for apps like Google Maps and Google Meet with a larger virtual display, though both versions offer similar functionality.
"We want to give you the freedom to choose the right balance of weight, style and immersion for your needs," Google said in a blog post.
Project Aura Offers Standalone Experience
Xreal's Project Aura differentiates itself as a standalone device running Android XR directly, similar to Samsung's bulkier headset but in a sleeker form resembling the Chinese company's One Pro glasses. The device requires connection to an external battery pack to function and offers a 70-degree field of view, exceeding Xreal's current lineup.
Project Aura uses hand tracking for navigation, employing the same system as Samsung's Galaxy XR headset but with fewer cameras. Shahram Izadi, VP and GM of Android XR Platform and Products at Google, said the wired XR glasses category blends "headset-like immersion and real-world presence in a portable form factor."
The optical see-through technology layers digital content onto physical surroundings, creating what Google describes as a "massive, private canvas" for multiple windows. Practical applications include following floating recipe videos while cooking or viewing step-by-step guides anchored to appliances being repaired.
Meta Competition and Market Dynamics
Meta has established early leadership in AI glasses, selling audio-focused models under Ray-Ban and Oakley brands that have received positive reviews and generated decent sales. The social media company recently introduced a more expensive model with an integrated display featuring messages, photo previews and live captions through a small lens-mounted screen.
Will Greenwald, AR/VR expert and principal writer for consumer electronics at PCMag, said Google's Android XR development kits "could mark a major leap forward for smart glasses." He noted the platform's advantage over Meta's closed system: "Android XR is a broad platform for third-party developers and manufacturers, featuring core features that can be used directly or built upon. It's what smart glasses have sorely been needing."
Snap Inc.'s first consumer AR glasses are scheduled to debut in 2026, while Apple Inc. is also planning an entry around the same timeframe. Alibaba-backed Xreal and other manufacturers have been developing AI glasses offerings as competition intensifies.
Warby Parker said in a Monday filing that its first glasses developed with Google are expected to launch in 2026, following a $150 million commitment Google made to the eyewear company in May.
