Google launched its smart glasses, Google Glass, years ago, but it ultimately failed. With the development of generative AI and the maturation of the smart hardware supply chain, Google is once again venturing into AI glasses. .
On December 9th, Beijing time, Google officially announced its Android XR ecosystem development plan at a special event themed "The Android Show: XR Edition". This plan includes three smart glasses with different positioning in cooperation with Samsung, XREAL and others, as well as a complete SDK and API upgrade for Android XR developers.
In videos and blog posts, Google showcased the various possibilities of integrating the large Gemini model into smart glasses, including translating everyday conversations, answering knowledge-based questions, and providing games for entertainment. Suggestions, and how to use Nano Banana via the glasses for photo editing, etc.
Through these product initiatives, Google is working with Apple. Meta forms direct competition.
Given the leading progress of Google's Gemini model, and the difficulties faced by Meta and Apple in terms of models and teams, the possibility of Google catching up in hardware cannot be ruled out. Xu Chi, founder of XREAL, told CBN reporters that the core of AI glasses is AI, and he is optimistic about Google.
In its blog post, Google explained why it designs different smart glasses: For AI and XR to truly function, the hardware needs to seamlessly integrate into users' lives and match their personal style. Therefore, no single design can meet everyone's needs. Based on this, Google hopes to create an Android XR that can support a variety of different devices.
Google partnered with Samsung this year to release a flagship device, the Galaxy XR, a headset similar to Apple's Vision Pro and considered a direct competitor. Notably, the Galaxy XR is priced at $1799, half the price of the Vision Pro ($3500).
At this event, Google pushed out a system update for the headset, adding three new features: PC Connect, Likeness, and Travel Mode. Likeness and Travel Mode are similar features to those found on Apple devices. PC Connect allows users to project their laptop screen directly onto the headset, facilitating work in virtual spaces. Users can also consult Gemini for gaming tips.
In addition to these, Google has three more smart glasses slated for release. In 2026, Google will collaborate with the Chinese startup XREAL to release a wired XR glasses project, currently named Project Aura.
This is an intermediate product bridging heavy-duty headsets and lightweight glasses. It offers the functionality of the Galaxy XR while providing a lightweight experience. Utilizing Optical See-Through technology, it can directly overlay digital content onto the user's real-world field of vision. Users can activate Gemini via a button on the temple and ask it questions related to the displayed content.
Google has not yet revealed the specific retail name or battery specifications for Project Aura. The range data and final pricing will all be revealed in 2026.
Finally, in the realm of lightweight devices, Google will collaborate with Samsung, Gentle Monster, and Warby Parker to design two stylish, lightweight, and comfortable glasses. Google mentioned that the first batch of these glasses will be available next year.
One of them is a screenless AI glasses with a built-in speaker, microphone, and camera, allowing users to have natural conversations with Gemini, take photos, and get help.
Secondly, there are display-type AI glasses. These devices add a display screen to the lenses, which can show useful information when the user needs it, such as turn-by-turn navigation or translated captions.
Google's Nano Banana image model was also integrated into the AI glasses. In a demonstration, staff used the glasses to take a photo of the attendees and then added an Android robot to the image. The entire process is achieved through voice interaction.
This launch event revealed Google's strategic ambitions in the XR field. By integrating hardware, software, and AI through the unified Android XR platform, covering various forms of devices such as headsets and smart glasses, Google aims to secure at least a place in the future smart glasses market and compete with Apple and Meta for the terminal market.
Back in May, Google announced at its developer conference that it would jointly release a new generation of AR glasses with XREAL. In a previous interview, Xu Chi mentioned to CBN that in the cooperation with a major company like Google, he and his team have indeed "seen the future": the capabilities of AI are rapidly becoming widespread and may bring a huge impact to the public on the edge.
Today's "battle of a hundred mirrors" is very similar to the "battle of a hundred phones" of feature phones before the iPhone came out. Each phone has different functions, but once a unified platform appears, it will overwhelm everything on the market. It will not provide one or two applications, but a universal and mature platform. Xu Chi believes that this will happen very soon.
Xu Chi predicts that 2027 and 2028 will be a critical turning point. "By then, many people will begin to believe that glasses will definitely replace mobile phones." AI-native multimodal operating systems may soon emerge and end the battle of the hundred glasses.
(Article source: CBN)
