Remember Google Glass? Yeah, the gadget that didn’t quite make it in 2023. Well, Google’s back with a vengeance at their 2025 I/O conference, unveiling Android XR, a shiny new extended reality platform designed to pack their Gemini AI magic right into smart glasses and headsets.
The new Android XR glasses are all about ditching the phone and getting info on the fly, literally. Shahram Izadi, Android XR’s VP and General Manager, put it bluntly:
“When you’re on the go, you want lightweight glasses delivering timely info without fumbling for your phone.”
Built hand-in-hand with Samsung and optimized for Qualcomm’s Snapdragon, these aren’t your average specs.
Catching Up in the Wearable AI Race
Google first teased Android XR back in December 2024, which comes just eight months after Meta’s latest Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses hit the scene, proof that the wearable AI battle is heating up.
Like Meta’s AI eyewear, Android XR glasses pack a camera, mics, and speakers, and easily link up with Android phones. But what really sets them apart is Google’s Gemini AI, offering everything from real-time info and language translation to an optional in-lens display that pops up only when you want it.
Features That Make You Say Wow
During the demo, Google wowed the crowd by showing off live streaming, snapping photos, reading texts, and even running Google Maps, all right through the glasses.
Izadi gave a sneak peek of some wild AR stuff, too:
“With Google Maps in XR, just ask Gemini to teleport you anywhere in the world. Chat with your AI assistant about what you see, and it’ll fetch videos and websites about your surroundings.”
Sci-fi much?
Glasses with Android XR are lightweight and designed for all-day wear. They work with your phone so you can be hands-free, stay in the moment with friends and complete your to-do list. pic.twitter.com/CLXGxeQPzs
— Google (@Google) May 20, 2025
When and Where You Can Get These Smart Specs
No official price or release date yet, but Google’s teaming up with South Korea’s Gentle Monster and America’s Warby Parker to bring these bad boys to market. Plus, a developer platform is cooking and should drop later this year.
“We’re building the software and hardware foundation to let the ecosystem create amazing glasses alongside us,” said Parker. “Our prototype glasses are already in trusted hands, and devs can start building apps for them soon.”
Looks like Google’s ready to make smart glasses cool again, this time with a little AI sparkle.
Gunel Ismayilova
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