While new foldables were the focus of Samsung’s latest Galaxy Unpacked, this week’s event also served as a soft launch for its new smart glasses being launched with the help of Google, Warby Parker, and Gentle Monster. This includes some details on core features, as well as the camera privacy light.
Samsung showed off four styles for its first Android XR glasses, two from both Warby Parker and Gentle Monster. We got to go hands-on with the new styles, though Samsung didn’t actually let anyone try them on. The hardware is remarkably light, though it doesn’t feel quite as sturdy as Meta’s Ray-Ban models. Still, there’s a lot to look forward to here.
On stage, Samsung confirmed that its first Android XR glasses would feature battery life up to 9 hours, while also packing at least 7 more full charges in the accompanying case.
Warby Parker and Gentle Monster have also now published some teaser pages that detail some of the core features of their respective glasses. Warby Parker highlights the following:
- Real-time translation: Get real-time, in-ear translations — or look at the text and ask to hear it translated
- Turn-by-turn navigation: Receive natural, turn-by-turn directions to help you get around with ease
- Hands-free capture: Using just your voice, snap high-quality photos and videos instantly
- Open-ear audio: Listen to songs, podcasts, audiobooks, and more—without tuning out the world
- With Google Gemini: Ask questions about your surroundings and get instant answers with Gemini
- Voice-activated assistance: Make calls, send texts, book appointments, and more with Gemini
Not all of these are brand-new, with both Samsung and Google having teased these features as well as Wear OS and Android integration for photo capture/transfer, gesture controls, and more, but it’s nice to see a list of the core offering all in one place. Gentle Monster’s page similarly calls out “real-time translation, navigation, contextual assistance, and visual understanding” as the core of the experience.
Something neither company directly highlights is the built-in privacy light coming on the first Android XR glasses, which Samsung partially confirmed will work a lot like Meta’s Ray-Ban glasses. The light appears on the opposite side of the camera, both on the outward-facing front of the glasses as well as on the inner frame where the wearer can see it. Samsung mentioned briefly on its demo floor that the hardware can determine when the privacy light has been blocked and disable the camera. We’ve asked Samsung for confirmation on whether or not the camera is disabled if the light is broken or disabled, as Meta addressed in a recent mandatory update to its glasses lineup following months of public backlash over the growing trend of modifying the glasses to disable the light.
We’ll update this article as Samsung confirms more details on the privacy light and exactly how it functions, but based on what was said on the demo floor, it sounds like Samsung and Google have got it right out of the gate.
These first Android XR glasses are set to launch later this year, with pricing and a firm release date still unknown.
More on Android XR:
- XREAL’s Android XR glasses will cost under $1,500, which isn’t as expensive as it sounds
- Google and Samsung’s Android XR glasses will have multiple ‘disruptive’ and ‘timeless’ styles
- XREAL’s Android XR glasses launch ‘this fall’ with Project Hail Mary & Fallout games
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