Newsletter 
Summary: Google and Samsung are teaming up on a new pair of XR smart glasses, rumored to launch in 2026, featuring built-in translation, object recognition, and memory-assisted search. Demonstrated at TED2025, the glasses blend Meta Ray-Ban-style features with a built-in display and may run Android XR, the platform co-developed by both companies.
After debuting Android XR late last year, along with Samsung’s Project Moohan headset, it appears that this partnership between Samsung and Google is getting even better. Google is now rumored to be launching its own pair of XR Glasses, made by Samsung, next year.
In December, the two companies unveiled images of the smart glasses that were under development at its XR Unlock event. Google’s vice president in charge of AR and XR, Shahram Izadi recently wore the prototype of these smart glasses, as well as demonstrating some of its features, at the TED2025 conference.
Izadi used the glasses to perform a few different tasks. This included translation, scanning a book using the cameras that are built-in, as well as helping the user find their keys thanks to a feature called “Memory”. These appear to be very similar to the Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses, however they do also sport a display for the wearer to see and get information visually.
The Korea Economic Daily is reporting that this prototype is a Samsung-made pair of glasses, and that it’s slated to launch in 2026.
This is part of Google and Samsung’s Android XR partnership
Last year, Google debuted Android XR. This is a platform that was jointly developed with Samsung and designed to be an open, unified platform for XR headsets and glasses. Samsung also showed off its own headset, which we’ve now seen a handful of times at different events. But still have very little details on.
The thought of having a pair of Android XR glasses from Google is pretty exciting. As someone that has a pair of the Meta Ray-Ban glasses, having something similar with the power of Google Assistant and/or Gemini, would be an absolute game-changer.
