Samsung is about to enter the smart glasses race in a very big way. On Tuesday July 22, the company will take the stage at Galaxy Unpacked in London — an unusual choice of city for a Samsung event, but a deliberate one given Europe’s strength as a premium foldables market — and is widely expected to reveal its Galaxy Glasses to the world.
This isn’t a surprise. Samsung and Google previewed Android XR smart glasses together at Google I/O in May 2026, with Warby Parker and Gentle Monster confirmed as design partners and a fall 2026 shipping window announced. Tuesday’s Unpacked is where the product gets its branding, pricing and release date.
Here’s everything we know ahead of the reveal.
What are the Galaxy Glasses?
The Galaxy Glasses are Samsung’s first AI smart glasses, running Android XR with Google Gemini as the built-in assistant. They carry a 12MP camera, speakers, and microphones, and offload all processing to a paired phone — there is no display and no onboard compute in the 2026 model.
Rumours suggest they weigh 50g, have a 155mAh battery, use a Sony IMX681 camera sensor, directional speakers, and a touch-sensitive panel on the right arm. The Snapdragon AR1 chipset from Qualcomm is expected to handle the AI processing via the tethered phone connection.
The design
Co-designed with Gentle Monster — the Korean luxury eyewear brand known for its bold, fashion-forward aesthetic — the Galaxy Glasses are positioned at the premium end of the smart glasses market. Samsung and Google also announced partnerships with Warby Parker for additional frame styles, targeting consumers who want smart glasses that read as eyewear first and gadget second.
What will they cost?
Leaks suggest a price of $379-$499, though Samsung has not confirmed pricing ahead of the event. That would position them above Meta’s Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 at $379 and the new Meta Glasses at $299, but below Snap’s Spectacles at $2,195.
No display — is that a problem?
The most discussed aspect of the Galaxy Glasses is what they don’t have: an AR display. The 2026 model ships as an audio device — camera, mic, speakers and Gemini AI, but no heads-up display or visual overlays. A display-equipped follow-on model is rumoured for 2027.
This is the same playbook Meta used with the original Ray-Ban Stories, and it worked. Display technology capable of delivering a genuinely good AR experience in a glasses-sized form factor remains expensive and power-hungry. Starting with audio-only is pragmatic — it gets the platform, the software and the user base established before the harder engineering problem of the display is solved.
Why this is a big deal
Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked reveal is the moment Android XR stops being a headset story and becomes a glasses story. Until now, Android XR has been associated primarily with Samsung’s Project Moohan headset. Galaxy Glasses changes that — suddenly Android XR is a platform you can wear on your face every day, to the gym, to a meeting, to a coffee shop.
Meta currently holds roughly 80% of the AI smart glasses market, and Samsung’s entry is a direct challenge to that dominance. With Google’s Gemini AI, Samsung’s hardware expertise and Gentle Monster’s fashion credibility all behind it, Galaxy Glasses is the most credible rival Meta’s wearables business has faced.
We’ll have full coverage of Samsung’s announcements on Tuesday. Watch this space.