Google has teamed up with Gentle Monster and Warby Parker to offer what it calls smart glasses, essentially smart glasses to rival Meta’s Ray-Ban series. Yes, new Google smart glasses are finally coming. Some of the major features they will offer include the ability to search for directions, send texts and other messages, and take photos from the glasses themselves “without taking out your phone,” according to Google. Much like Meta’s Ray-Bans and Oakleys, Google’s emerging frames are designed to be sleek and traditional in appearance — they don’t look like big, bulky glasses with electronic devices crammed inside.
The first models released will be audio glasses, in the fall, and they will include Google’s voice assistant so you can ask questions, navigate the world and interact in new ways, like taking high-quality photos based on what you’re looking at. Other companies working on Google smart glasses include Samsung, Gentle Monster, Xreal – known for its excellent AR varieties – and Google with branded options. If Google plays its role correctly, these new smart glasses can succeed where Google Glass failed in several ways.
The real question is what features will Google offer to give it the upper hand on Meta devices? It’s worth noting that, more than likely, many features won’t be available at launch, especially with Audio Glasses being the first rollout. But they are on their way and certainly worth discussing. Here are some of the most exciting ones.
Audio only first, but screens are coming
Meta’s Ray-Bans and Oakleys do not include screens. They’re audio-only, pretty much exactly like the initial versions provided by Google’s line of smart glasses. These first experiences will focus on Google Assistant, audio controls, and AI-based features, like asking Google to send a quick text message to a friend you’re meeting. But integrated screens are planned and already on the way. Warby Parker is working on a pair of augmented reality (AR) glasses with a single internal screen. But it makes perfect sense to perfect the screen-free experience first. This way you don’t need it and it’s not a distraction when wearing the glasses.
Google is also reportedly working on models with screens, including one at its Mountain View headquarters with a dual-screen setup. Having personally used AR glasses from Xreal and RayNeo, I completely understand the appeal of glasses with integrated screens. You can’t truly understand the wonder of such a thing until you look at a 200-inch personal screen equivalent that no one else can see. Smart glasses are unlikely to have this kind of immersive, cinematic functionality, but a small screen to present critical information could be useful.
Smarter, Better AI Features
Love it or hate it, AI is baked into much of what Google offers through Gemini. Google’s next generation of smart glasses will also benefit, with an always-on Gemini Live mode. It’s similar to how Meta’s Ray-Bans let you interact with the voice assistant: “Hey Meta, what time is my appointment?” Google has a big advantage over Meta, however, both in terms of usability and contextual capabilities.
The glasses will be synced and connected to your phone to get started. You can also reference and relay information, creating a more cohesive ecosystem for users. It looks like you’ll also be able to do a lot of fun things, like ask Gemini for advice on playing board games, look up information about plants and objects you see in the world around you, and much more. The AI will be informed by built-in cameras, microphones and speakers, which obviously pose some privacy risks – the same ones that already exist with Meta products.
Existing smart glasses have been shown to record intimate and private moments, and it’s highly likely that Google’s devices will raise similar concerns. Although Meta seems to be going even further with a terrifying new upgrade that introduces facial recognition technology. Meta has also had contractors watch recorded videos without consent, and while it’s unclear how Google plans to approach the use of the content, that likely won’t be the case.
Better sound for a smoother experience
One of my favorite features of Meta Ray-Bans and audio glasses is the ability to play localized audio, much like you would with headphones or earbuds. The glasses’ speakers play music close to your ears, and although it sounds loud to you, it’s not as detectable to those around you as you might think. Google’s audio glasses and upcoming smart glasses will offer the same features. This creates some very interesting scenarios where you can use the glasses to listen to music via Bluetooth, podcasts, audiobooks or even connect to other devices like a TV to watch movies.
However, with Meta devices the sound is somewhat muted. Google’s offerings, including Warby Parker glasses, provide superior audio quality, improving immersion and dynamics. Bass response is generally poor with Ray-Ban speakers. Even when you’re not using them to listen to music, this performance carries over to other use cases, such as when you’re taking hands-free calls, listening to other audio, or interacting with the in-device assistant. Google could win on this front if the speakers were significantly improved.
Google’s smart glasses will also connect to a smart watch
During the demonstrations, Google’s smart glasses, again Warby Parker frames, were able to connect to smartwatches, the same way they work with smartphones. During Google I/O, and as part of its Aura project in partnership with Xreal, Google briefly discussed connectivity with Wear OS smartwatches. On stage, its representatives showed an example where photos taken with the smart glasses appeared on the screen of a connected smart watch for review. It’s a quick and efficient way to double-check your captures rather than taking out your phone.
The presenters took a photo of the audience with the glasses and asked Gemini to deliver an edited version in a new style. It worked. Wear OS should also be able to leverage advanced automation and quick access controls. For example, if music or media is playing on your glasses, you may see playback controls on your smartwatch that you can operate with a simple tap.
A unique audio routing feature could also let you play media from your smartwatch directly to your glasses, just like you would with a pair of headphones. Meta’s smart glasses don’t offer anything like this as of this writing, and the simple fact that Google can leverage its Wear OS smartwatch platform in unique ways makes this all very exciting.
