Samsung’s Upcoming Smart Glasses: What We Know

It seems like Samsung is stepping into the world of smart glasses with a lighter and sleeker design than what we’ve seen from other competitors.

These details emerged from SammyGuru, an independent tech news outlet, revealing that Samsung’s first Android XR glasses are set to allow users to capture hands-free recordings, communicate, and perform various functions.

The standout aspect of these smart glasses? Their surprisingly light weight. Early demos suggest they weigh just 41 grams without prescription lenses, which, of course, will add a bit more weight.

This makes them 10 grams lighter than the camera-equipped Ray-Ban Meta glasses and even lighter than newer audio-only versions, according to another report.

This lightweight design is quite impressive, especially given the glasses’ array of features. They’re equipped with a Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1 processor, 2GB of RAM, dual speakers, four microphones, and 64GB of storage—essentially, comparable to an iPhone 12.

If that sounds high-tech, that’s not all; the glasses promise 9 hours of battery life and up to 72 hours using a fully charged case. A 12-megapixel camera capable of recording 3K video at 30 frames per second adds another layer of functionality.

While this level of technology matches the latest META offerings, the Samsung glasses manage to do so in a significantly lighter package.

However, there are some concerns to consider: it’s still unclear if these glasses have an indicator light or other features to prevent covert recording, an issue that has raised privacy alarms and led to bans in places like nightclubs.

Are the looks of these Galaxy glasses as impressive as the features? From what we know, wearers can choose frames from Warby Parker or Gentle Monster.

The Warby Parker options include Alden (rounded), Reid (square), and Wren (cat-eye), while Gentle Monster offers six styles ranging from rectangular to slim oval.

In terms of color variety, Gentle Monster provides a broader selection, featuring shades such as gray, purple, and burgundy, compared to Warby Parker’s more limited palette of black, brown, and green. Gentle Monster frames are also able to accommodate prescription lenses.

As for compatibility, the Android XR glasses will function well with both Android phones and iPhones, although some advanced features are exclusive to Galaxy users equipped with One UI 9 (Android 17) and Wear OS 7 on their Galaxy Watches.

The exact pricing and release dates for these smart glasses remain uncertain. However, they are anticipated to hit the US market in November, according to various sources.

Interestingly, Samsung isn’t the only company stirring up curiosity; back in August, Apple inadvertently leaked footage of its soon-to-be-released camera-equipped AirPods, raising privacy concerns similar to those surrounding smart glasses.

A commenter on that incident remarked on the potential for these devices to infringe on people’s privacy, questioning whether they were competing for the title of the most intrusive surveillance technology available.