Warby Parker and Google take on Meta with new AI smart glasses

Warby Parker is launching its first smart glasses, developed with Google and Samsung, as Intelligent Eyewear frames. The frames include speakers and cameras and run AI capabilities through Google Gemini, supported by Android XR for extended reality glasses and headsets. The design uses a light, flexible dark green nylon frame and will be sold as both sunglasses and regular glasses. Pricing was not disclosed, while Meta Ray-Bans currently cost roughly $390 to nearly $500. Smart glasses are projected to grow rapidly, reaching $4.2 billion in revenue by 2028. Google has pursued the category since Google Glass in 2013 and is now pushing XR mainstream through a glasses form factor designed for everyday use. The glasses are positioned to enable calls, texts, emails, and calendar checks without removing a phone.

"Its new Intelligent Eyewear frames have speakers, cameras, and access to AI inside a light, flexible, dark green nylon frame that will be available as sunglasses and regular glasses. The glasses are powered by Google Gemini, the company's AI assistant; and Android XR, Google's unified operating system for 'XR' (extended reality) headsets and glasses."

"Warby Parker declined to share pricing, however Meta Ray-bans currently run from $390 to almost $500 ( some models are on sale). The glasses represent Warby Parker's entry into wearable tech, which is a category experiencing serious growth. Smart glasses could reach revenues of $4.2 billion by 2028, according to Bank of America, up from less than $500 million in 2024."

"Now it's bringing XR mainstream with a glasses form factor designed by Warby Parker and honed for everyday use. "XR is going to be the next frontier for Gemini, and for AI," Shahram Izadi, Google's VP and GM for Android XR, told CNET nearly a year ago. Now we know how they plan to take a big piece of it from Meta, which has dominated the category since the launch of its smart Ray-Bans in 2023."

"Beyond simple diversity of choice, co-founder and co-CEO of Warby Parker Dave Gilboa thinks smart glasses could broadly change the way wearers interact with their smartphones by allowing them to take calls, send texts and emails, or check their calendars all without taking their phones out of their pockets."

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