Foldables were the main topic of discussion at yesterday’s Galaxy Unpacked event, but Samsung is also betting big on smart glasses as the next staple in its wearables lineup. Google’s Android
These are the types you’d actually wear outside with access to the on-device camera and hands-free Google Gemini. Samsung refers to these glasses only as “Intelligent Eyewear,” and although we don’t have any official name, pricing, or launch date, we got a chance to spend some time with the first two versions at the Galaxy Unpacked experience booth.
Samsung collaborated with established eyewear brands Gentle Monster and Warby Parker to introduce two designs. Both run Android XR, though there’s no screen inside to clutter your vision with apps and information. You’ll mostly rely on the built-in speakers that work in conjunction with the Google Gemini.
Samsung Intelligent Eyewear x Gentle Monster
Google’s AI Assistant is able to see the world around you through built-in cameras. They can also record first-person video and take photos and offer translation, navigation, and notification summaries in real time. You can use your voice to control all features or alternatively the touch-sensitive areas on the temples of the glasses. As far as internals are concerned, both duos are running Qualcomm’s Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1 chipset.
In terms of design, the Gentle Monster pair features a distinctive “cat-eye” oval shape. From a distance these look like a normal pair of glasses, however the thick temples, front-facing camera and LED indicators clearly indicate that these are not your average sunglasses.
Samsung Intelligent Eyewear x Warby Parker
The same can be said for the Warby Parker design, which looks very similar to the Ray-Ban Meta glasses. Both pairs come with a nice-feeling hard-shell carrying case that can also supply the glasses with up to seven full charges. The demo units we handled felt quite sturdy, although you can clearly see they attract a lot of fingerprints.
That’s all for my first impressions of Samsung’s intelligent eyewear glasses. We’re definitely looking forward to giving these a proper test once they become available. We’re also expecting pricing and availability details as soon as possible.