Google is preparing for a new era in smart glasses before Google I/O 2026. The company’s new glasses ecosystem based on Android XR and Gemini; It is preparing to take the idea of classic smart glasses to a more useful point with its camera, microphone, speaker, optional in-lens display and artificial intelligence support. Google I/O 2026 will be held on May 19-20, and the opening speech of the event will be held on May 19 at 10.00 PT.
Google’s new glasses are shaped by Android XR and Gemini. Android XR is at the center of Google’s smart glasses plans. Android This structure is based on a Gemini experience that understands the environment the user sees and hears, interprets the context and provides direct assistance when necessary. The new generation glasses are expected to come with cameras, microphones and speakers. In this way, the user will be able to take photos, interact with messages, get directions and get information about the objects around him by talking to Gemini without reaching for the phone.
In the Android The first category will be screenless artificial intelligence glasses. In these models, the basic experience will proceed through camera, microphone, speaker and Gemini. The user will be able to interact with the device by voice, describe his/her surroundings with the camera, and take photos when necessary. The second category will consist of models with a screen inside the lens. This screen will be able to show directions, translation subtitles or short information cards that only the user can see.
The in-lens screen takes these products to a different line than Ray-Ban Meta style camera glasses. Because while screenless models lean more on voice assistant and camera experience, screened models are closer to the augmented reality side. It seems that Google has gathered two different usage styles here in the same ecosystem: lighter and simpler AI glasses and more visual, more informative Display AI glasses. In this new era, Google does not solve the design side only with its identity as a technology company.
The company is working with Gentle Monster and Warby Parker for Android XR glasses. Samsung is also among Google’s important partners in the Android XR glasses ecosystem. With these collaborations, Google wants to ensure that the glasses stand out not only with their technical features but also with their designs that can be worn all day long. The Warby Parker partnership also draws attention in terms of the 2026 launch schedule.
According to information provided by Reuters, Warby Parker and Google will launch artificial intelligence-supported smart glasses in 2026. These glasses will be built on the Android XR platform and Gemini artificial intelligence. Price, model options and distribution details are not yet clear. Warby Parker and Gentle Monster are not the only ones in Google’s glasses plans. The company announced that it wants to offer more options with Kering Eyewear in the future.
This detail shows that Google treats smart glasses as an Android XR category that grows through different brands and designs, rather than a single device. Another part of the ecosystem is Project Aura, developed by Xreal. This device is positioned between classic smart glasses and larger XR headsets. Project Aura stands out as a more advanced form of glasses based on Android XR and planned to be released in 2026. According to The Verge, the device; It is evolving into a more comprehensive XR product that supports experiences such as virtual desktop, 3D games, Android applications, YouTube, Google Maps, Lightroom, Circle to Search and Gemini.
Google’s approach paints a different picture than the old Google Glass era. In the first Google Glass period, the device was mostly hardware-oriented and had limited usage scenarios. In the new period, the Android XR platform, Gemini artificial intelligence, application ecosystem, design collaborations with fashion brands and different device categories are progressing under the same roof. For this reason, Google’s smart glasses move is positioned as one of the new usage areas of Android outside of phones, rather than a single product launch.
The biggest rival in this area is currently Meta. Ray-Ban Meta glasses became one of the products that reached a wider user base in the smart glasses category. According to the expectation raised by CNET, more information will be shared about the new wave of smart glasses from companies other than Meta at Google I/O 2026. Therefore, not only Google’s own software vision but also the product plans of Android XR partners will be closely monitored at the event.
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