After years of development, Google has officially unveiled its second-generation wearable device, the Intelligent Eyewear smart glasses, which offer cross-platform support for Android and iOS. Preorders open today through fashion eyewear brands Gentle Monster and Warby Parker, with official shipping starting on December 10.
Google teams up with Samsung, Gentle Monster, and Warby Parker to launch lightweight Android XR smart glasses
To shed the bulkiness of traditional wearables, these smart glasses keep the body weight between 40 and 44 grams and use balanced weight distribution for all-day, burden-free wear. For audio and video specs, the frame has a built-in 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera, supports 3K 30FPS or 1080p video recording, and features image stabilization and HDR algorithms; audio capture and playback are handled by four beamforming microphones (supporting spatial audio and advanced noise reduction) and dual open-style speakers, balancing environmental awareness with clear vocals.
In addition to the temple touchpad and a physical power toggle switch (which can disable smart features with one touch and return the glasses to a purely basic pair of glasses), Google has also introduced the “Hey Gemini” voice wake word for the first time. In addition, users can perform cross-device micro-gesture controls via Pixel Watch or Galaxy Watch (Fitbit Air will support this next year):
- Two-finger pinch: equivalent to clicking the trackpad (play/pause).
- Rotate your wrist: equivalent to swiping back (ending the current interaction).
- Palm-up double pinch: press and hold to launch Gemini (Pixel Watch exclusive).
Addressing the privacy concerns the public cares about most, the glasses light up a white LED indicator when taking photos or recording video; if the indicator is detected as covered, damaged, or the glasses are removed, the system immediately stops recording and performs a hardware integrity check while charging. On the data-processing side, images used for visual search or translation via Gemini are not saved to history and are not used for model training or advertising, and the system automatically de-identifies the faces of passersby in the frame before AI analysis.
The hardware is manufactured by Samsung, with a Qualcomm Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1 processor at its core, 2GB RAM and 64GB storage, runs the Android XR operating system, and supports Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.4, and IPX4 splash resistance. It has a built-in 245mAh battery that provides up to 9 hours of use per charge; paired with a charging case that connects via magnetic contacts below the nose bridge, it can provide an additional 7 full charges (for total battery life of up to 63 hours).
Dual-brand trend collaboration and diverse AI application scenarios
- The Warby Parker collection introduces three classic silhouettes—Alden, Reid, and Wren—in 14 colorways, available with optical and sunglass lenses, starting at $395.
- Gentle Monster collection: unveils six bold, avant-garde frames across 16 styles (with multi-colored lenses and prescription customization), starting at $449, with the first launch in the US and Korea.
By integrating Gemini multimodal AI, users can instantly explore the background of street murals, scan posters to sync calendars, check Uber status, reply to group messages hands-free, or enable Google Maps navigation and real-time translation in more than 70 languages. For the visually impaired, the built-in Gemini Guided Vision can also use conversational voice to help identify colors, read small print, and explore unfamiliar environments; for everyday use, it can seamlessly stream Spotify, YouTube Music, and Apple Music. In terms of compatibility, it supports Pixel 7 and later, Galaxy flagship and foldable series running One UI 9.0 and later, and iPhone 13 Pro and later models. Preorders open today, with official sales starting December 10.
Source: KOCPC Chinese