Google announced that the first AI glasses powered by Gemini will be launched in 2026.

According to CLS News Agency, Google recently announced that it is advancing the development of two types of artificial intelligence (AI) glasses to compete with manufacturers such as Meta next year: one type is equipped with a display screen, and the other focuses on audio functions.

In a post published Monday, Google stated that the first AI glasses developed in collaboration are planned for release in 2026. Samsung Electronics, Warby Parker, and Gentle Monster have been involved in the early hardware collaboration, but the final design has not yet been released.

In terms of product form, the smart glasses showcased by Google support hands-free operation, enabling functions such as taking photos, navigation, making calls, and object recognition, and are equipped with a large Gemini model. The version with a display offers both monocular and binocular optical solutions, supporting overlay applications such as Maps AR navigation and Meet floating windows; the audio version emphasizes lightweight design, resembling ordinary optical glasses in appearance, and runs Gemini through a mobile phone to reduce weight and extend battery life.

In addition, Google has partnered with Chinese AR company Xreal to develop standalone smart glasses codenamed "Project Aura," which runs the same Android XR system and does not require a smartphone, but does require an external battery. Google also released a software update for the Samsung Galaxy XR headset that day, including a "travel mode" that can be used in cars and airplanes.

With Google's return to the field, competition in the AI/AR glasses market is rapidly intensifying, and Meta is undoubtedly one of Google's most direct competitors. In September of this year, Meta released the Ray-Ban Display AI glasses. This product uses a display based on LCoS (liquid crystal on silicon) technology and a waveguide optical solution, making the display content inside the lenses invisible to the outside world and avoiding the rainbow effect commonly seen in traditional AI glasses; its resolution is 600×600, its field of view is approximately 20°, and its pixel density is approximately 42 PPD.

In addition to its existing products, Meta is also accelerating its development of next-generation display technologies. On October 16th, according to Micro LED-info, Meta has partnered with ams OSRAM to advance Micro LED development and has established a related R&D team in Regensburg, Germany, close to ams OSRAM's core Micro LED R&D and production base. Several engineers and business personnel from ams OSRAM have joined Meta, demonstrating its significant investment in this field.

However, Meta is also facing delays in its development of mid-to-high-end devices. On December 6th, Business Insider reported that the new MR glasses, codenamed "Phoenix," originally scheduled for release in the second half of 2026, have been postponed. According to a leaked internal memo, Maher Saba, Vice President of Meta Reality Labs, stated that the company needs more time to refine the details; another memo, in which Gabriel Aul and Ryan Cairns, heads of Meta Universe, also pointed out that the core user experience is still undergoing significant adjustments, and the product development pace is tight, therefore the release date will be postponed to the first half of 2027. (Compiled)