Would you buy screenless, pre-AR smart glasses made by Google?

Abner Li | Oct 20 2023 - 1:17 pm PT

We reported earlier this week on signs in the Google app that “Iris” glass development is proceeding after reportedly being canceled earlier this year. I’m of the opinion that Google, since 2015, should have continued consumer development of Glass as a pre-AR wearable given that the display technology is far from ready.

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I feel somewhat vindicated by the existence of Snap Spectacles and Meta’s Ray-Bans and genuinely think this form factor – a camera-equipped smartwatch for your face – could be helpful if positioned correctly. If Google indeed made such a device, what functionality would you need to make it worthwhile?

Camera

Since Google Glass, I’ve found point-of-view photos and videos to be alluring. I often forget to take pictures, and when I do remember, they’re often last-minute with bad or rushed framing. I think having the camera (at your temple) ready to take a shot with a simple button press (or similar gesture) would be highly convenient.

Meta’s latest Ray-Bans feature live streaming capabilities, and a similar YouTube integration on a hypothetical Google device feels natural. In addition to capturing video, imagine Google Meet calls where you can share what you’re seeing. This was, in fact, something that Google showed off during its Project Glass “One Day” concept.

While opening many privacy concerns, a camera that allows the glasses to have awareness of the world is crucial for building the first AR experiences and laying the groundwork for future ones (when the display technology is ready). I’d argue that, at this point, it’s better to have a camera than a limited display.

On a Google-made pair, it could allow Google Lens integration where you ask questions about what you see and get back audio responses, or have the response sent to your phone.

Headphones & audio notifications

Smart glasses should have all the functionality of Bluetooth headphones for listening to audio (music, podcasts, audiobooks, etc.) and taking calls. What if Google-made glasses had all the functionality of Pixel Buds save for active noise cancellation (ANC)? Google could definitely leverage that team’s work to offer the best possible audio/voice feedback and control experience.

Meanwhile, existing work on notifications for Assistant headphones could be leveraged here. As that form factor has proven, you don’t need a screen to deliver alerts. On glasses without a screen, you could do something clever with lights in your field of view, while navigating through a voice UI could be augmented with a large touch surface on glass temples.

If there was a screen

However, the true value of the smart glasses form factor is unlocked by complementing audio cues and camera input with visuals. Focals by North had a small screen that was better than nothing but led to quite bulky hardware. Hopefully, the technology has progressed a bit with a larger display, as Google teased with its translation glasses in 2022.

The screen technology possible today is presumably not enough to do a real AR overlay, but it could be useful for notifications, which is one of the main value propositions of a smartwatch. If Google can build a great notification experience through tight integration with Android, I think people could find value in non-AR glasses today. The screen can also be used to significantly boost Live View’s existing AR navigation on your phone.

So, would you buy smart glasses that just had a good camera with many first-party integrations and Pixel Buds-like capability, or would you need it to have a screen?

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