Google Just Announced When Its First 'Intelligent Eyewear' Smart Glasses Will Launch

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Credit: Google

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At Google I/O 2026 today, Google announced it will release its first "Intelligent Eyewear" smart glasses this fall. The glasses are a joint product between Samsung and Google, with Samsung providing the hardware and Google the software, and will be available for both Android and iOS. No price was announced.

Here's what Google's first "Intelligent Eyewear" glasses look like

The company showed off two frame designs, one from Gentle Monster and another from Warby Parker. Here's what they look like:

While Google teased a future release of display-style glasses, the presentation was largely about the audio, camera, and AI capabilities of the glasses coming this fall. Google focused on the integration of smart glasses and Gemini AI, demonstrating their ability to provide turn-by-turn directions via audio, launch and use outside apps like Doordash with voice commands, and take and edit photos with AI. Android can then take those edited photos and display them on your Google Watch, as you can see from this AI-assisted "crowd selfie" show off at the presentation:

Below are more details on the glasses' features, from Google's blog:

Ask Gemini about anything you see: Google includes examples, like asking for reviews of a restaurant you're passing and identifying cloud types.

Navigation: In addition to issuing turn-by-turn directions, Intelligent Eyewear can add stops to your route.

Messages and calls: These glasses will manage calls and texts, and can have Gemini summarize missed messages.

Translation: The glasses support real-time language translations, with "audio that matches the tone and pitch of the speaker’s voice," as well as translations of text.

This fall, Google and Samsung will compete with industry leader Meta, whose smart glasses account for about 80% of the market, a steep hill to climb. While we don't have crucial information like the quality of Intelligent Eyewear's camera or how much they will cost, broadly, Google's smart glasses and Meta's AI-and-camera models are similar: both take pictures, let you talk to AI, and play and transmit audio. Barring an incredible camera or very low price, whether consumers choose Google or Meta will likely come down to integration and personal style.

A huge goal for big-tech smart glasses companies is herding users into their respective information infrastructures, so Google's presentation focused as much on interaction with other apps as it did on the hardware itself. Google promises hands-free use of staples like Google Maps, Gemini AI features like Nano Banana, and Google Watches, but they also showed off connections with non-Google apps like Doordash, Uber, and language app Mondly. Meta glasses can currently access Meta-owned apps like Instagram and WhatsApp, and a limited number of third-party options—mostly music-focused apps like Spotify, Audible, Apple Music, and iHeartRadio. Ultimately, the decision of which smart glasses to buy may come down to which apps you most want to use without taking your phone out of your pocket.

The ultimate question: Which one will look less dorky?

In terms of style, Meta has so far focused on iconic, recognizable brands like Ray-Ban and Oakley for its smart glasses frames, where Google seems to be leaning toward a more fashionable approach. Gentle Monster is known for bold "statement" frames like the skinny glasses shown off at I/O 2026, and Warby Parker takes a minimalistic but tasteful approach to eyewear. Unlike most tech products, looks are extremely important with smart glasses. An Oakley person is not likely to start rocking Gentle Monster frames just because they have a better camera.