Pre-orders for Google's new smart glasses started Nov. 12, according to Google's blog post. Google calls them "intelligent eyewear." The collections are made with Gentle Monster, Warby Parker and Samsung, and launch Dec. 10.
What changed
Google says pre-orders are live online and in stores at Gentle Monster and Warby Parker, with hands-on demos at select Gentle Monster, Warby Parker and Google Store locations. The glasses work with Pixel and Samsung phones, and with iPhones.
- Gentle Monster: six designs in bold colors, with tinted, clear, blue or brown lenses. Prescription options are offered for most frames. Starting at $449, in the United States and South Korea.
- Warby Parker: three styles, Alden, Reid and Wren, in optical or sun versions and in Pine, Saddle or Jet Black. Starting at $395. Prescription, width and lens options are available.
Warby Parker's full collection is on its website, and Google says guided demos are offered at more than 360 Warby Parker stores.
What Google says they do
Everything in this section is Google's description, not our testing.
- Say "Hey Gemini" or tap the frames to use Gemini on the glasses.
- Google Maps gives turn-by-turn directions in your ear.
- Google Translate offers real-time speech translation in more than 70 languages.
- Guided Vision gives audio descriptions, and Aira Explorer livestreams to a human interpreter.
- Open-ear speakers play YouTube Music, Spotify, Apple Music and Audible, and handle messages and calls hands-free.
- A 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera with HDR, stabilization and spatial audio capture.
- About 41 grams, with up to nine hours of battery. The charging case recharges the frames up to seven times.
Privacy
Google says camera visuals from Gemini on the glasses are not saved in Gemini History and are not used to train AI models or target ads.
It says the glasses are designed to automatically redact bystanders' faces before Gemini processes visuals. Data on the glasses is encrypted, and so is data in transit. Google says you control app access to the camera and microphone.
Why it matters
Google's post is the source for the prices and the launch date above. For earlier coverage of the category, see our stories on Samsung's smart glasses leak and the Ray-Ban Meta audio glasses.
What isn't announced
- Google Store prices. We have not verified that the store lists any.
- Markets beyond the United States and South Korea for Gentle Monster, and beyond warbyparker.com for Warby Parker.
- Shipping dates beyond the Dec. 10 launch, and what exactly ships that day.
- Samsung-branded frame designs and prices. The post names Samsung as a partner but gives no details.
What we checked
We read Google's blog post on the morning of Nov. 12 ET. We read the full post, but not Google's separate privacy post. We did not test the glasses, so battery, camera, translation and privacy claims are Google's.
