The new glasses, unveiled during Google’s annual developer conference in California on Tuesday (19.05.26), are expected to go on sale this autumn and will integrate the company’s AI assistant, Gemini.
The eyewear includes a small camera built into the frames and speakers embedded in the arms, allowing users to interact with Gemini through voice commands while remaining hands-free.
Google revealed two initial designs created with eyewear brands Warby Parker and Gentle Monster.
The launch marks Google’s second attempt at smart glasses after the troubled rollout of Google Glass, which debuted in 2013 but was withdrawn in 2015 following criticism over privacy concerns and its high price.
Shahram Izadi, an executive at the tech giant, said the new devices were designed to help users "stay hands free and heads up".
He said: "They are designed to give you all-day help with Gemini that's spoken into your ear privately rather than shown on a display."
Google confirmed the glasses will work with both Android and Apple iOS devices.
The company is also developing a more advanced version featuring an in-lens display capable of showing text and visual information directly to the wearer, although that product will not launch immediately.
Izadi said more details about the display-enabled glasses would be revealed later this year and confirmed developers were already creating applications for them.
Google faces growing competition in the smart eyewear market.
Meta’s AI-powered Ray-Ban glasses have reportedly sold seven million units, while rivals including Snap and Apple are also developing wearable devices.
However, privacy concerns remain.
Meta’s glasses have faced criticism over users secretly filming people in public and private spaces, echoing concerns that helped derail Google Glass.
Christine Tsai, of venture capital firm 500 Global, welcomed Google’s return to the smart glasses market.
She said: "It's good for consumers.
"And it's good for early-stage start-ups... because they're a platform where people can build more capabilities."
