Google's AI Glasses Launch December 10, Starting at $395

Google's first AI glasses go on regular sale December 10, with preorder pages already live and pricing starting at $395 for the Warby Parker models. Gentle Monster's versions start at $449, and both lines together add up to 30 variants. There's no European launch date — the glasses ship only in the US, plus South Korea for the Gentle Monster line.

The lineup splits unevenly between the two frame partners. Gentle Monster combines six frame designs with different colors and lenses into 16 variants; Warby Parker contributes three models with 14 variants total. Prescription lenses are available, though not for every Gentle Monster frame.

What do the specs look like?

At roughly 40 grams depending on the configuration, the glasses sit in the same weight class as a standard pair of sunglasses. Google rates the battery at up to nine hours of use, and the included case delivers up to seven additional charges — enough to cover a long-haul flight plus a week of commutes before you need a wall outlet.

The hardware list should sound familiar to anyone who's followed Meta's wearables: a 12-megapixel camera, microphones and open-ear speakers, much like Meta's AI glasses. Compatibility covers selected Pixel and Samsung phones plus iPhones from the 13 Pro onward. One hard restriction: usage is limited to Google accounts registered in the US or South Korea, so gray imports won't get you far.

There's no display yet. Models with built-in screens are expected to follow next year, and Meta already sells one — the Meta Ray-Ban Display with its integrated mini screen.

Which functions matter day to day?

The glasses record photos and video, play music, handle calls and answer messages. Google's Gemini assistant can answer questions about what the camera sees — landmarks, objects, whatever's in front of you. Google Maps delivers spoken turn-by-turn directions, and Google Translate handles conversations in more than 70 languages. Voice commands also work for checking calendar appointments and adding items to shopping lists.

Two accessibility features stand out. The glasses can describe the surroundings for blind and visually impaired users, and the Aira service connects a live human assistant who sees the camera feed and helps with orientation. Both features require a compatible Android smartphone at launch, and both exist in similar form on Meta's glasses.

How do Google and Samsung handle privacy?

Cameras in smart glasses remain heavily contested, and the manufacturers' safeguards are unlikely to settle the debate. An LED, as on Meta's Ray-Bans, signals bystanders when recording is active; if the LED is covered or defective, capture is supposed to be blocked. For visual Gemini queries, faces of bystanders are automatically blurred before the AI processes the images.

Google and Samsung promise the camera images won't train AI models or feed personalized ads. Data on the glasses and in transit is encrypted, and Gemini Live calls are meant to filter out ambient noise and the voices of uninvolved people. Whether that package reassures regulators in Europe — where the glasses don't yet launch — is a different question.

Notably, Meta has since released the Ray-Ban Meta Audio, an AI glasses model without a camera. Google and Samsung haven't announced an equivalent.