Samsung is preparing to push into a new wearable category with what it calls “intelligent eyewear,” a pair of AI glasses designed to arrive later this year. The company is not presenting the product as a simple tech accessory, but as something that must work as both an AI device and an everyday fashion item.
That positioning is central to Samsung’s strategy. Instead of relying on a single look, the company has already shown two different designs through collaborations with Warby Parker and Gentle Monster, signaling that style will be as important as functionality.
AI takes the lead
Samsung says the glasses will connect closely with the Galaxy ecosystem. The aim is to create an AI experience that works alongside other devices and remains useful while users are on the move, rather than only when they are sitting in front of a screen.
Jay Kim, Executive Vice President and Head of Customer Experience Office in Mobile eXperience Business at Samsung, described the device as an important step in the company’s AI vision. He also said each device will be optimized for its own form factor to deliver a relevant AI experience.
The announced features make that direction clearer. Samsung says the eyewear will support a camera, real-time AI translation, text summaries, access to Gemini while traveling, and integration with the Galaxy ecosystem. The company is also preparing heads-up navigation for the device.
A first-generation model without a display
For the initial version, Samsung does not appear to be putting a display on the lenses. That means the experience will rely more heavily on audio than on visual information projected directly in front of the wearer.
This choice suggests a product meant to feel close to ordinary glasses while still adding practical AI functions. It also allows Samsung to introduce translation, summaries, and navigation without waiting for a display-based model to become part of the first release.
Two design directions, two different audiences
The collaboration with Warby Parker and Gentle Monster gives Samsung two distinct visual options. That approach points to a broader effort to make the eyewear appealing as a style piece, not only as a piece of hardware.
The Warby Parker version does not yet have an official name. In the early images shared by Samsung, it appears similar to Warby Parker’s Dominic frame, with a thick rim, a keyhole bridge, and a camera placed in one corner of the frame.
Samsung showed that model in glossy black, giving it a fairly classic look. The design is restrained and familiar, which could make it easier to blend into everyday wear.
The Gentle Monster version takes a bolder route. It uses a wider oval frame and also comes in glossy black, but the overall shape feels more fashion-forward and assertive.
A staged rollout ahead
Samsung plans to introduce the device more broadly around Google I/O 2026. That timing is notable because Google is also expected to share more about Android XR and its own upcoming smart glasses around the same period.
More details about Samsung’s eyewear are expected in the coming months. The company also says the product will reach stores in the fall, although the first launch will be limited to select markets that have not yet been named.
That staged approach suggests Samsung wants to test demand before expanding availability. It also gives the company room to see which of the two design directions resonates most strongly with users.
Positioned against Ray-Ban Meta
Samsung’s move places it directly in a segment already shaped by Ray-Ban Meta. Meta’s glasses have become one of the best-known examples in the category by combining familiar styling with camera and AI features.
Samsung is taking a different path by leaning on the Galaxy ecosystem, Gemini access, and design partnerships with Warby Parker and Gentle Monster. The result is an early product outline that looks intended to compete on both utility and appearance.
The company has not revealed every detail yet, but the combination of AI features, wearable-first design, and fashion-led collaborations makes its “intelligent eyewear” a clear signal of where its next consumer hardware push is headed.