Google’s new smart glasses went on pre-order on Nov. 12, 2026. They’re called Intelligent Eyewear, Samsung builds the hardware, and Warby Parker and Gentle Monster design the frames. Warby Parker pairs start at $395 and Gentle Monster pairs start at $449. Both ship and arrive in stores on Dec. 10. They have no screen in the lens. Instead you get a camera, open-ear speakers and Gemini, Google’s AI assistant, which you talk to by saying “Hey Gemini” or tapping the frame.

Below is what they cost, which phones they work with, what they can actually do, and what to think about before you pre-order a pair as a holiday gift.

Price, styles and release date

Both brands sell the same hardware inside different frames, according to WIRED. The difference is the design and the price.

Warby Parker Intelligent Eyewear

• Price: from $395 for optical or sun styles.
• Styles: Alden, Reid and Wren, based on the brand’s best-known shapes, in Pine, Saddle and Jet Black. 9to5Google counts 14 variations in total.
• Lenses: a wide range of prescription, width and lens options.
• Try first: you can book a guided demo at more than 360 Warby Parker stores, Google says.

Gentle Monster Intelligent Eyewear

• Price: from $449.
• Styles: six designs in bolder colors such as dark red, pink, gray and yellow, with tinted, clear, blue or brown lenses (16 variations in total).
• Lenses: prescription options for most frames.
• Where: sold in the United States and South Korea.

Pre-orders are open online and in store at both brands. Hands-on demos are also available at select Gentle Monster, Warby Parker and Google Store locations, and WIRED reports both brands are running pop-up demo spaces in New York City for about a month.

Which phones work with Google’s smart glasses?

This is the first thing to check, because support is narrower than you might expect. The companion app works with:

• Google Pixel 7 and newer (running the Android 17 September 2026 update or later)
• Samsung Galaxy S, S FE, Z Fold, Flip and Fold Ultra phones running One UI 9.0 or higher
• iPhone 13 Pro and newer

Other Android phones aren’t supported at launch. A Google spokesperson told WIRED the company will share plans for wider phone support in 2027. You also need a Google account from the U.S. or South Korea, and the account must belong to someone 18 or older.

What can the glasses actually do?

Think of them less as a screen on your face and more as headphones, a camera and an assistant built into normal-looking frames. If you’ve been following how slim and capable phones have become (see our look at the thinnest Android smartphones), this is the next step: some of what your phone does, without taking it out of your pocket.

Ask Gemini about what you’re looking at

Google’s examples include asking about a street mural you’re walking past, getting a recommendation from a bookshelf, or looking at an event poster and checking your calendar on the spot. You can also ask Gemini to add something you’re looking at to your grocery list. WIRED notes you have to be specific when you want it to use the camera, or it won’t look.

Directions and live translation for travel

Google Maps reads turn-by-turn directions into your ear, and Google Translate offers real-time speech translation in more than 70 languages with automatic language detection. In WIRED’s controlled demos, translation “worked remarkably well” with only a few errors, but you need to face the person speaking, range is limited, and noisy places affect quality. For travelers, that could sit alongside the travel apps you already rely on rather than replace them.

Music, calls and messages

Two open-ear speakers play music from YouTube Music, Spotify or Apple Music while keeping you aware of your surroundings. You can take calls and hear and reply to messages hands-free. Audible works only with Android phones at launch.

Photos and video

A 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera takes photos and video up to 3K at 30 frames per second, with stabilization and HDR, according to 9to5Google. WIRED says videos run up to 90 seconds per clip.

Accessibility features

Guided Vision gives spoken descriptions of your surroundings for people who are blind or have low vision, for example to read small print or find everyday items. Through a partnership with Aira, you can also stream the camera feed to a trained human visual interpreter. Google notes Guided Vision can make mistakes, isn’t a medical or mobility aid, and at launch both features need a compatible Android phone and may require a subscription.

Specs at a glance

• Weight: about 41 grams (9to5Google lists 40 to 44 grams depending on frame)
• Battery: up to nine hours, with a charging case that holds about seven full recharges
• Chip: Qualcomm Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1, 2GB RAM, 64GB storage
• Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.4 and Wi-Fi 6E
• Water resistance: IPX4 (splashes, not swimming)
• Display: none. Google has shown glasses with displays in the lenses, but WIRED reports they’re still being tested with no release window.

Privacy: what Google says it’s doing

Camera glasses make many people uneasy, and Google is clearly trying to get ahead of that. According to Google:

• A light shows people nearby when you take a photo or video. If the light is covered or disabled, the glasses stop recording.
• What the camera sees when you ask Gemini a question isn’t saved to your Gemini History and isn’t used to train AI models or target ads.
• The glasses are designed to blur bystanders’ faces before Gemini processes the images.
• Data is encrypted on the glasses and in transit, and you choose which apps can use the camera and microphone.
• Every pair has a physical off switch, so you can wear them as ordinary glasses.

Those are company commitments, not independent findings, so it’s worth reading Google’s privacy details yourself before buying.

Should you pre-order a pair?

They may suit you if you already wear glasses, use a supported phone, and like the idea of hands-free directions, calls and quick questions. Being able to fit your prescription and try them on in a store is a real advantage over buying gadgets online.

It may be worth waiting if your phone isn’t on the list, if you want a screen in the lens, or if you’d rather see full reviews after the Dec. 10 release. And if your goal is to spend less time on screens, remember that glasses with a built-in assistant still keep you connected, just without a screen. A proper break, like the ideas in our guide to digital detox travel, is something else.

FAQ

When do Google’s Intelligent Eyewear glasses come out?

Pre-orders opened on Nov. 12, 2026. The glasses go on sale in stores and online, and pre-orders ship, on Dec. 10, 2026.

How much do Google’s smart glasses cost?

Warby Parker frames start at $395 and Gentle Monster frames start at $449. Prescription lenses and other options can raise the price.

Do they work with iPhone?

Yes, with iPhone 13 Pro and newer. Some features, including Audible, Guided Vision and Aira, need an Android phone at launch.

Do the glasses have a display?

No. These are audio and camera glasses. Google has shown display versions, but they don’t have a release date yet.

Can I get them with my prescription?

Yes. Warby Parker offers a wide range of prescription options, and Gentle Monster offers prescription lenses on most frames.

Sources: Google, WIRED, 9to5Google and Warby Parker via Business Wire, all published Nov. 12, 2026. Prices and availability can change.