Google is making a significant comeback in the smart glasses market with its new Android XR-powered eyewear that showcases advanced AI capabilities, particularly in language translation.
The company recently demonstrated how these glasses can provide real-time language translation between two people, effectively giving wearers "subtitles for the real world." The glasses, equipped with cameras, microphones, and speakers, work with a smartphone and feature an optional in-lens display that privately shows information. When paired with Google's Gemini AI, they can understand the wearer's context and provide timely assistance.
Unlike the less-than-stylish Google Glass frames of the past, this iteration focuses on real-world wearability and style. Google has partnered with established eyewear brands Gentle Monster and Warby Parker to create fashionable frames. The tech giant is investing heavily in this project, committing up to $150 million as part of the Warby Parker partnership alone.
Beyond translation, the glasses can help users with navigation, answer questions about surroundings, and perform various tasks hands-free through the Gemini AI assistant. The live translation feature is particularly promising for international travelers and those living in multicultural environments.
This launch represents a fresh start for Google in the smart glasses arena. Google co-founder Sergey Brin, who was closely associated with the original Google Glass project, acknowledged past mistakes but expressed optimism about the new direction, stating "I've learned a lot." The original Google Glass was discontinued in 2015 after failing to gain consumer traction, with the Enterprise Edition being discontinued in March 2023.
Google's new glasses will compete directly with Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses, which recently rolled out their own live translation feature supporting English, French, Italian, and Spanish. While Meta's glasses are already on the market, Google's new Android XR glasses are expected to launch through their eyewear partners after 2025.