Hands-on: Google and Samsung’s vision for Android XR glasses is 20/20

Google and Samsung have collaborated on "Intelligent Eyewear," a project where Samsung provides hardware expertise and Google manages much of the software platform. The smart glasses are part of the broader Android XR ecosystem, which also includes mixed-reality headsets and glasses. Eyewear brands Warby Parker and Gentle Monster are responsible for the design and fit of the glasses, allowing customers to demo the devices at brick-and-mortar retail locations. Kering Eyewear has also signed on to produce glasses for Android XR in the future.

The first models are available for preorder, with official sales beginning on December 10. Warby Parker frames start at $395 and are available in three styles—Alden, Reid, and Wren—as sunglasses or optical glasses. Gentle Monster glasses start at $449 and come in six designs with various colors and tints. While the hardware is identical across both brands, the glasses weigh approximately 41 grams, which Wired reports is 10 grams less than Meta's new Gen 3 glasses.

The devices utilize Gemini to understand a user's surroundings and connect to existing apps. During a demonstration, Tom's Guide noted that the live translation feature allowed for a natural conversation between an English speaker and a Mandarin speaker. While 9to5Google suggests Google's approach contrasts with Meta's previous efforts to avoid negative perceptions of the form factor, Tom's Guide noted that making the glasses look more ordinary may raise questions regarding how easily others can recognize them.

Brief written by urgent.news from 9to5Google, Wired, Tom's Guide — 3 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.