Google Smart Glasses Prototype Unveiled at TED 2025
Google has once again stepped into the augmented reality spotlight. At a recent TED event in Vancouver, the tech giant showcased a new prototype of its smart glasses — a slim, futuristic wearable powered by AI and designed to bring augmented reality closer to everyday use.
Source: Axios
What Was Unveiled?
The prototype glasses were worn on stage by Shahram Izadi, head of Android XR. Unlike bulky VR headsets, these smart glasses feature transparent lenses with tiny embedded displays that overlay real-time graphics and information.
Key Features Demonstrated:
Live AI Translation: Izadi showcased live translation from Farsi to English using Google's Gemini AI.
Real-Time Object Recognition: The glasses scanned and analyzed text from a book live on stage.
Seamless Phone Connection: The device connects to a smartphone, which handles most of the computation to keep the glasses lightweight and comfortable for long-term use.
Android XR and Google’s Vision
The smart glasses are built on Android XR, Google’s dedicated platform for extended reality. This follows Google’s acquisition of HTC’s Vive XR team in January 2025, signaling major plans in the AR/VR space.
What About Samsung’s Role?
Google is also collaborating with Samsung on a more advanced XR headset, codenamed Project Moohan, likely to launch commercially as the Samsung Galaxy XR. Unlike the glasses, this device uses passthrough video powered by external cameras, allowing it to:
Show and interact with the real world
Render complex virtual scenes, like multiple digital monitors
Samsung’s XR goggles are expected to launch later this year, with a rumored price of $2,500. They may be accompanied by a separate pair of XR glasses — a lighter version for less immersive use cases.
What’s Next?
There's no official launch date for Google’s smart glasses yet, but the TED demo proves they are progressing quickly. With AI integration via Gemini and a sleek design approach, Google aims to compete with Meta, Apple, and Samsung in the next era of wearable computing.
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