Preorders open for Samsung, Google, Gentle Monster smart glasses
Smart glasses co-created by Samsung Electronics, Google and Gentle Monster / Courtesy of Samsung Electronics
Launch set for Dec. 10 in Korea, US; Gentle Monster models priced from $449
Samsung Electronics and Google unveiled the full lineup of smart glasses created in collaboration with eyewear brands Gentle Monster and Warby Parker, opening preorders for 30 models Thursday.
Dubbed Intelligent Eyewear, the glasses are powered by Google's Gemini AI, allowing users to explore their surroundings, access information through real-time conversations and interact more intuitively in everyday situations. The glasses are compatible with both Samsung Galaxy smartphones and Apple iPhones.
According to Google, users can summon Gemini through a simple voice command or by touching the glasses' frames to check their Google Calendar schedules or add items they are looking at to their shopping lists.
Google Translate also provides real-time voice translation in more than 70 languages, helping users understand signs written in foreign languages, while Gemini's Guided Vision feature offers conversational audio descriptions to assist blind and low-vision users, as well as those who need additional visual guidance in everyday situations.
Smart glasses co-created by Samsung Electronics, Google, Gentle Monster and Warby Parker / Courtesy of Samsung Electronics
Google and Samsung each offered glimpses to four models in May and July, respectively, and they unveiled the full 30-model lineup in New York. The Gentle Monster collection consists of 16 variants across six designs with different frame colors, while the Warby Parker collection features 14 variants across three designs and multiple color options.
Intelligent Eyewear connects to a smartphone and uses a split computing architecture that shares some processing tasks with the connected device.
The glasses feature a 12-megapixel camera mounted on the left side of the frame and are powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1 Platform. They offer up to nine hours of battery life on a single charge and up to 72 hours with the charging case.
An external LED indicator lights up when the glasses are taking photos or recording videos. An internal indicator and an audible alert also notify the wearer when the camera is active to prevent unintended recording. If the external LED is covered or fails to function properly, the camera is automatically disabled.
Samsung said visual data collected by Gemini will not be used to train AI models or for advertising purposes. The company added that the glasses use on-device processing to prevent the identification of people's faces when Gemini analyzes the surrounding environment, protecting the privacy of bystanders.
Six frame designs of smart glasses co-created by Samsung Electronics, Google and Gentle Monster / Courtesy of Samsung Electronics
With preorders opening on Thursday, Intelligent Eyewear will launch in Korea and the U.S. on Dec. 10. The full lineup will be available in the U.S., while only the Gentle Monster collection will be released in Korea. Prices start at $395 for the Warby Parker collection and $449 for the Gentle Monster collection in the U.S. In Korea, Gentle Monster models will start at 650,000 won.