The idea of integrating technology into everyday accessories like glasses has long captured the imagination of engineers and consumers. Over the past decade, we've seen two major waves of this trend: a big start, a period of lull, and then a cautious but confident resurgence. Today, "smart glasses" are not always what we imagined. Let's take a look at how this technology has evolved, what we have now, and what to expect in the near future.
Retrospective: a bold dream called Google Glass
In the early 2010s, the first wave of smart glasses confidently burst into the information space, and its flagship was Google Glass. These glasses became a real technological breakthrough: they had a small transparent screen that projected information directly into the user's field of view, a built-in camera and microphone, and were controlled by voice commands. Google Glass embodied the idea of augmented reality (AR), as it was understood at the time.
However, despite its innovation, the project did not achieve mass market success. This happened for several reasons:
- Design and price: The glasses looked a bit bulky, and their cost was extremely high for their time (about $1,500).
- Privacy: The built-in camera, which allowed for discreet video recording and photo taking, raised serious privacy concerns. Google Glass users were even nicknamed "Glassholes" and were banned from many establishments.
- Lack of a "killer feature": For most users, there was no single compelling reason to justify the high price and inconvenience. The Google Now personal assistant at the time had much less functionality than Google Assistant / Gemini now.
After the failed attempt at Google Glass, a period of lull came when large companies abandoned the idea of mass-producing AR glasses, and the segment itself became mostly niche.
Trend revival: focus on audio, photos and first steps in AR
In recent years, interest in smart glasses has been growing again, but in a different format. Companies have learned from the mistakes of the past, focusing not on full-fledged augmented reality, but on integrating more basic functions into a stylish and familiar design. Although, there are also companies that continue to work with AR. So we can distinguish two pronounced directions.
The first is modern models like the Ray-Ban Meta / Oakley Meta, Amazon Echo Frames, and Huawei Gentle Monster Eyewear, which don't have a display. Instead, they offer a "smart" audio system and camera hidden in the frame.
Ray-Ban Meta / Oakley Meta: Designed in collaboration with Luxottica, these glasses look like regular Ray-Ban or Oakley models. They allow you to take photos and videos, listen to music, and answer calls without reaching for your smartphone.
Amazon Echo Frames: The main function of these glasses is audio: they have built-in speakers and a microphone that allow you to interact with the Alexa voice assistant.
Huawei Gentle Monster Eyewear: These glasses also focus on audio, allowing you to listen to music and chat while maintaining the look of classic glasses.
Unlike Google Glass, these glasses are not "smart glasses" in our traditional sense with a visual interface. However, this compromise solution significantly reduced the cost and made the product more affordable for the mass consumer.
The second direction is the lesser-known but interesting examples that are already trying to implement the concept of augmented reality, albeit in a limited format. These devices usually have built-in miniature displays, but often require connection to a smartphone or other power source. They are focused on specific use cases, such as viewing content or improving productivity.
XREAL (formerly Nreal): Offers lightweight AR glasses that create a virtual screen in front of your eyes. They are used for watching movies, playing games, or as an additional monitor for a laptop. These glasses usually connect to a smartphone via a cable.
Rokid: This company also develops lightweight AR glasses that focus on portability and entertainment. Their models allow you to watch videos and play games on a large virtual screen.
Rayneo: A subsidiary brand of TCL that creates glasses with Micro-OLED displays for virtual viewing. They are focused on personalized content viewing, offering a cinema experience wherever you are.
Unlike Google Glass, these glasses are more consumer-oriented in design and cost, but their success has so far been limited to narrow niches.
What do we have now and what challenges does the technology face?
Although modern glasses have become more elegant and functional, they still face serious challenges:
- Privacy issue. The presence of a camera or microphone will always be a concern. Even a small recording indicator is not always enough to ensure trust.
- Lack of a "killer feature". We talked about this in relation to Google Glass, and the same applies to modern models. Currently, most functions (listening to music, answering calls) can be easily performed using headphones, and for photos/videos there is a smartphone. So far, there is no single good reason to buy glasses for $300-400.
- Autonomy: Built-in electronics and batteries still limit operating time, forcing users to charge the device frequently.
- Aesthetics. While design has improved significantly, it is still far from ideal. Technological stuffing often makes glasses bulkier than regular optics.
What to expect in the near future?
Despite the current limitations, major tech giants are continuing to push the boundaries of AR glasses. The industry is now waiting for the next big breakthrough, which is likely to come from the advent of tiny, energy-efficient displays (such as Micro-LED) and advanced data processing technologies.
Companies such as Apple, Google, Meta, Samsung are actively investing in the development of AR/VR headsets, which are a transitional stage to full-fledged smart glasses. The goal is to create a device that not only reproduces information, but also harmoniously fits digital objects into the real world.
One possible breakthrough is the Android XR operating system, which Google showed off a few months ago. The upcoming devices are expected to be a hybrid of Google Glass and Ray-Ban Meta. You get a built-in display, while the device itself will look like regular glasses. Of course, there will be Gemini built in, always ready to answer your questions.
So we can expect the next generation of smart glasses to combine stylish design with full-fledged, yet unobtrusive AR functionality that will find its unique application. We will probably see the first truly revolutionary models in the next 5-10 years, and they will once again change our perception of the technology we wear.
What do you think about smart glasses? Do you see any useful use cases for them that will make your life easier? Or will it just be an expensive toy?