While all eyes were on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 at the recent Galaxy Unpacked event, the wide-screen foldable is not the only new addition to the South Korean tech giant’s repertoire. The company also offered another peek at its upcoming intelligent eyewear, which has been rumoured to be called the Galaxy Glasses.
Built on Google’s Android XR platform, the device was developed in collaboration with Gentle Monster and Warby Parker, resulting in a broad range of designs to fit different tastes. According to Samsung, its eyewear is lighter than most AI glasses while still maintaining durability and comfort, although it did not offer any figures to back up the claim.
In any case, the device comes equipped with a Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1 chipset, which has been designed with thin and light smart glasses in mind. This processor powers the AI-driven features. As previously revealed, the eyewear’s built-in camera will allow wearers to ask Gemini about their surroundings.
During the presentation, Samsung demonstrated a few applications, which include summarising content, identifying information, as well as live translation. For instance, the glasses can capture a photo of a whiteboard and organise the data in the Notes app for later review. Other capabilities include real-time navigation and hands-free visual sharing during calls.
With this in mind, the current iteration of the glasses doesn’t come with a display, as this pair focuses on audio feedback. A version with a screen may be launching next year, though. For now, the device responds to voice commands. It also comes with touch-sensitive areas, so users can rely on gesture controls.
Beyond that, Samsung has designed its intelligent eyewear to work with its smartwatches and smartphones. The wearer can use their paired smartwatch to control the camera, while photos will be saved to a dedicated album on the phone.
Furthermore, the brand revealed that the smart glasses can last up to nine hours on a single charge. Meanwhile, the case offers seven additional full charges. That said, the brand did not offer any further details on the device’s specifications. If past leaks are to be believed though, then it may feature a 155mAh battery and a 12MP Sony IMX681 camera. Other supposed details include Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity.
For now, the company has yet to release the glasses, although it has confirmed that the device will arrive “this fall”. Similarly, pricing information remains under wraps, though previous leaks have pointed to a price ranging from US$379 (~RM1,549) to US$499 (~RM2,039). Whether or not the AI-powered eyewear will be constrained to specific markets is also up in the air. We reached out to a local Samsung representative and were informed that it’s unclear whether the glasses will launch in Malaysia.
(Source: Samsung [1], [2])
