Google sets sights on Meta as it unveils smart glasses

Google has unveiled a new generation of AI-powered smart glasses at its annual Google I/O 2026 developer conference, marking the company’s return to intelligent eyewear more than a decade after the failure of Google Glass. 

The original societal complaints about the Google Glass was that they led to an invasion of privacy. Shortly after launch, people may-or-may-not-have-been using them to surreptitiously capture images of other people – which lead to the term of users being a 'glass-h**e'.

The launch places Google back into a rapidly growing market currently led by Meta and its Ray-Ban smart glasses. Meta’s camera-equipped glasses, launched in partnership with EssilorLuxottica, have reportedly sold more than seven million units globally.

Google has revealed two categories of wearable devices currently in development: “audio glasses”, which provide spoken assistance through built-in speakers, and “display glasses”, which overlay visual information directly in the wearer’s field of view.

The audio-first models are expected to launch later this year and have been developed in partnership with Samsung, along with eyewear brands Gentle Monster and Warby Parker.

Google says the glasses are designed to provide “hands-free and heads-up” access to its Gemini AI assistant. Users can activate the system by saying “Hey Google” or tapping the frame.

Among the announced features are real-time language translation, turn-by-turn navigation, voice messaging, music playback and AI-assisted photography. The glasses also include a built-in camera capable of capturing photos and video, with editing tools powered by Google’s AI image technology.

One demonstrated feature allows users to issue commands such as “take a picture and put everyone in funny hats”, with the AI automatically editing the image in real time.

Google says Gemini will also be able to interpret the world around the wearer, including identifying landmarks, reading signs and providing restaurant reviews based on what the camera sees.

The company also confirmed it is continuing development of more advanced display-equipped smart glasses, though no release date or specifications have yet been announced.

For photographers, Google’s renewed interest in wearable cameras is likely to reignite debate around privacy and public photography. This time, Google appears to be focusing heavily on fashion and wearability in an attempt to avoid the same fate.

Interestingly, social trends including the 'slow movement' see people attempting to shun technology, rather to have it literally in (or at least on) your face. Time will tell if the glasses are a success, though the Meta Glasses have succeeded due to actually looking fairly cool, while allowing users to go 'hands free' when recording content for social media (they only record in 4:3 portrait format).