Samsung and Google want in on the smart glasses action. At Google I/O 2026, the two gave a first up-close look at display-free smart glasses meant to rival the Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses, and they’re (at least stylistically) going in a different direction than Meta’s.
While the Gentle Monster smart glasses are more fashion-forward and are clearly meant more for people interested in sunglasses, the Warby Parker specs are geared more for people who actually need prescription lenses, with regular-looking frames. Unlike the Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses, the Gentle Monster specs have rounded frames, which is a big shift from the iconic rectangular look popularized by EssilorLuxottica and its Ray-Ban sunglasses.
Outside of the look, both pairs from Google and Samsung appear similar to the Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses. Samsung says the smart glasses are meant as a companion to your phone and will be controllable via voice, just like Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses. One clear advantage that both Samsung and Google have over Meta here is that they actually own the ecosystem of mobile devices that smart glasses are a companion to, so I would expect pretty seamless interaction between both pieces of hardware—photo/video imports should be quick and effortless, and services should link up easily.
Samsung and Google’s smart glasses will offer a similar feature set to the Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses, too. Samsung says that wearers will have access to navigation by asking Gemini for directions with their voices, and they can query the AI assistant for “personalized suggestions” on things to do nearby, like “coffee shops on their walking route.” Gemini on the smart glasses will also be capable of more advanced commands, like placing an order for pickup.
In addition to map-based features, there will be notification summaries for text messages and emails, support for adding events to calendars, as well as real-time translation with “audio that matches the speaker’s voice.” Since there are cameras on these smart glasses, computer vision will be on the table, meaning wearers will be able to do stuff like translate text on menus.
Hardware details like camera sensors, battery life, and physical controls are still TBD, but Samsung says its glasses are slated to launch this fall in “select markets” and more details will be announced “in the coming months.”
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