Samsung detailed the features of its upcoming intelligent eyewear on Wednesday at its Galaxy Unpacked event in London, offering a fuller picture of the device ahead of an expected fall launch.
The company showed off camera, AI assistant, and gesture control capabilities as it prepares a fall launch into a market Meta dominates
Bloomberg / Getty Images
Samsung detailed the features of its upcoming intelligent eyewear on Wednesday at its Galaxy Unpacked event in London, offering a fuller picture of the device ahead of an expected fall launch.
The glasses, developed with eyewear brands Gentle Monster and Warby Parker, include a built-in camera, open-ear audio, and support for Google $GOOGL Gemini, the company said. Pointed at a whiteboard or presentation, the camera can read the content on screen and distill it into organized notes. The glasses can also summarize incoming messages, provide real-time navigation guidance, and support live translation. Battery life runs up to nine hours per charge, with the charging case able to deliver up to seven additional full charges.
Under the hood, the glasses use Qualcomm $QCOM's Snapdragon AR1 Gen1 chip and require a connected smartphone to function, according to CNBC. James Choi — Samsung's executive vice president overseeing the glasses' R&D division — said the company is exploring gesture-based controls that would work through its smartwatch and Galaxy Ring products. He added that more frame designs and colors will be available at launch beyond what Samsung has shown so far.
On pricing, James Choi said the glasses will be positioned as a "premium" product and sold through its eyewear partners' sales channels, though he declined to provide a specific figure. "We want to make it reasonable, but as I mentioned ... the quality of the product itself, we want to position as premium. It doesn't mean that it's crazy expensive," he said.
Samsung is entering a market where Meta $META holds a commanding position. IDC figures cited by CNBC show Meta held roughly 69.2% of the smart glasses market during the first quarter of 2026. Meta has been expanding its lineup, and last month launched a $299 entry-level set of smart glasses built with EssilorLuxottica, the parent company of Ray-Ban, undercutting its own Ray-Ban Meta line. The company also unveiled the $799 Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses, which include a built-in display, in 2025.
Choi said that Samsung views smart glasses as a "niche market" at this stage of its entry into the category, stopping well short of projecting sales in the nine-figure range anytime soon. He declined to provide specific sales targets.
Join 500,000+ readers who start their day with Quartz.
By subscribing, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.