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Google $GOOGL -0.53% announced plans to launch audio glasses powered by its Gemini AI assistant later this fall, revealing designs created with eyewear brands Warby Parker and Gentle Monster. The glasses were unveiled at Google I/O 2026 alongside Samsung, which is a partner on the underlying Android XR platform.
The audio glasses will work with both Android and iOS phones and will allow users to access Gemini by saying "Hey Google" or tapping the frame, the company said. Features include turn-by-turn navigation, real-time speech and text translation, hands-free calls and messaging, photo capture, and the ability to execute multi-step tasks through third-party apps such as DoorDash and Uber $UBER +0.07%.
The two designs shown at the event represent the first entries in broader collections from each eyewear brand, with more styles expected later this year, Google said. Gentle Monster's design takes a different aesthetic direction from Warby Parker's, which features a more traditional frame silhouette, according to Engadget.
Rather than running independently, the glasses are tethered to a user's smartphone, relying on that device's processing power over Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections. This first generation will be audio-only, with no built-in display. Google has said display glasses are also in development but will come later.
