Google launches Intelligent Eyewear glasses: $395+, pre-order today, ships Dec. 10

After years of development, Google is launching its second foray into smart glasses with Intelligent Eyewear that supports Android and iOS. Pre-orders start today at Gentle Monster and Warby Parker, with the audio glasses shipping on December 10. Hands-on: Google and Samsung’s vision for Android XR glasses is 20/20 Intelligent Eyewear is meant to be worn all day rather than the sunglasses-heavy approach taken by others. The frames are 40-44 grams with the weight balanced evenly. There is a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera for photos and videos (3K 30FPS or 1080p). You get image stabilization and HDR processing, while four microphones work to provide spatial audio capture. Google is also quite proud of its noise cancellation work. There are two open-ear speakers for balanced audio and clear vocals. Control is done by a touchpad that accepts taps and swipes, or via voice commands, with Google debuting a new “Hey Gemini” hotword. Another way to control Intelligent Eyewear is through your Pixel Watch or Galaxy Watch, with Fitbit Air support coming next year: Double pinch = “tap” gesture on touchpad to play/pause Wrist turn = “swipe back” to close an experience Palm-up double pinch = “tap and hold” to invoke Gemini (Pixel Watch only) Each pair features a physical on/off switch so you can “wear them as regular glasses only.” On the privacy front, there is a white indicator light when you take a photo or video that gets saved to your gallery. If the light is covered or maliciously disabled, the glasses will stop recording, with Google running a hardware check when they are charging. Recording also stops when you take off the glasses. Notably, Gemini commands that invoke the camera — like visual search or translation — will not save images or videos to your Gemini History. These visuals won’t be used to train AI models or for ad targeting. Additionally, the glasses will “automatically redact bystanders’ faces from these visuals before Gemini processes them.” Battery life (245mAh) is rated at nine hours on a single charge, with a fully topped-up charging case (Gentle Monster’s shown below) offering seven full charges. Power is transferred via contact pins located on the underside of the nose bridge. Android XR runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1 with 2GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. Other specifications include Bluetooth 5.4, Wi-Fi 6E, and IPX4 water resistance. Samsung is responsible for engineering the hardware, while there are two eyewear brands at launch. Warby Parker Intelligent Eyewear is available in three styles and a total of 14 variations. Alden, Reid, and Wren are inspired by the brand’s “most beloved silhouettes.” Pricing starts at $395 for optical and sun styles in Pine, Saddle, and Jet Black. The Gentle Monster Intelligent Eyewear collection features six frames in bold colors like dark red, pink, gray, and yellow, with 16 total variations. They can be paired with tinted, clear, blue, or brown lenses, with prescription options available for most designs. Pricing starts at $449 and will be available in the US and South Korea. Intelligent Eyewear can be used for contextual visual searches, asking Gemini about your day, and having it accomplish tasks. “…learn the story behind a street art mural you are passing by, ask for a tailored recommendation from a ‘New Arrivals’ bookshelf, or look at an event poster to check your Calendar availability on the spot.” “…you can add items to your grocery list with a glance or check on your Uber’s status.” “…use your glasses to catch up on your missed group chats, respond to messages, and take phone calls hands-free.” Google Maps offers turn-by-turn directions, while there’s real-time Google Translate in over 70 languages. Like on phones, Gemini Guided Vision “offers conversational audio descriptions to people with vision impairments.” This can be used to read fine print, identify color differences, find items, and explore unfamiliar places. These glasses also serve as always-available headphones with support for YouTube Music, Spotify, Apple Music, and Audible. The Glasses companion app supports: Pixel 7 and newer Galaxy S, Galaxy S FE, Galaxy Z Fold, Flip, and Fold Ultra series running One UI 9.0 or higher iPhone 13 Pro and up Pre-orders for Gentle Monster and Warby Parker Intelligent Eyewear start today with retail availability on December 10. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.