Meta's Ray-Ban glasses could face tough new competition soon. Whispers suggest Samsung is gearing up to reveal its first Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered smart glasses at its next Galaxy Unpacked event, rumoured to take place in London on July 22.
If you’re unfamiliar with smart glasses as a category, think of them as AI-powered eyewear that blends style with functionality. They allow you to capture photos and videos completely hands-free, listen to music, take phone calls, and access information on the go.
With built-in voice activation, these glasses can handle real-time translation, object recognition, and contextual assistance – essentially giving you a lightweight wearable AI assistant.
Samsung has confirmed that it's working on AI glasses set to launch sometime in 2026, but they've kept pretty quiet about the details. However, the keen-sighted team over at Android Headlines published leaked images that give us a bit of a sneak peek at what to expect when they are officially unveiled.
The leaked image of Samsung's smart glasses features two camera lenses set into black frames
|Swirling rumours say Samsung's new wearables are expected to run on Android XR – that's Google's operating system designed specifically for wearable devices — with Gemini AI as your personal assistant.
The team at Android Headlines claims it'll come with a 12MP camera on the front, along with speakers and microphones for hands-free chatting. They may also be powered by a Snapdragon AR1 chip with photochromic lenses that adjust to light, like transition lenses on regular prescription glasses.
This functionality — which lets you take photographs and video from a first-person perspective with a hands-free voice command — has wearables from companies like Meta a hit with social media content creators and parents. Meta recently expanded its lineup with a collaboration with Oakleys and a pair with a built-in display.
Meta AI glasses made their initial appearance in 2021, but it wasn't until the release of Meta Ray-Ban glasses in 2024 that they began to pick up popularity
| META PRESS OFFICEUnlike the newest Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses, Samsung's glasses won't have a screen built-in. Like the regular Meta Ray-Ban glasses, you'll need to use a separate device to check the results of your photos and videos.
With its bestselling smartphone business, Samsung is well positioned to let its Android devices do the heavy lifting, keeping the specs nice and lightweight on your face. It has been confirmed that Samsung has been working with fashion brand Gentle Monster and Warby Parker on its design.
In terms of price, recent rumors are pointing to this particular model costing between $379 and $499, equating to roughly £275 - £365. However, with the current global shortage of RAM being seen across the industry on products like the Nintendo Switch 2, and British startup Nothing confirmed that smartphone prices will rise this year, that could rise.
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But the glasses won't be the only thing Samsung is expected to show off at its next event. A whole lineup of new foldable phones may make an appearance, too. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Galaxy Z Flip 8 are both on the cards, continuing Samsung's popular folding phone range.
There's even talk of a brand new "Wide" model – the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide – which could give you a bigger screen and a fresh design compared to the standard version.
These phones could come packed with One UI 9, the latest iteration of Android. It's built on top of Android 17, the next generation of the mobile operating system, which is set to roll out worldwide later this summer.