Samsung launches AI smart glasses mid-December in Korea, US - Chosunbiz
Samsung Electronics will begin its first sales of artificial intelligence (AI) smart glasses in mid-December in Korea and the United States. The specific release schedule and first sales countries for the AI glasses, which were teased for launch within the year, have been confirmed. The product lets users access real-time translation and navigation without taking out a smartphone, challenging the AI glasses market led by Meta.
According to the electronics industry on the 30th, Samsung Electronics has set the release timing of the AI smart glasses "Intelligent Eyewear" for mid-December and decided to sell them first in Korea and the United States. The sales price has not yet been set and is currently under discussion.
Major markets such as Europe, China and Japan were excluded from the initial launch. Compared with the Galaxy S26 series this year, which rolled out sequentially to more than 120 countries starting with Korea, the United States, the United Kingdom and India, the initial sales regions have been narrowed. An industry official said, "Because this is a new product category, we will expand the sales regions after checking initial demand and user reactions in Korea and the United States." Earlier, Samsung Electronics also first released the headset-type Extended Reality (XR) new product "Galaxy XR" in Korea and the United States in Oct. last year, then expanded sales to the United Kingdom in Jul. this year.
Intelligent Eyewear is based on Google's Android XR platform and Gemini AI. With a camera and microphone, it recognizes surroundings and provides voice-based real-time translation and navigation. It can also capture documents or meeting scenes and automatically organize them in the notes app on Galaxy smartphones. It is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1 and can be used for up to nine hours on a single charge. The design was created in collaboration with Gentle Monster and Warby Parker. Two models were unveiled at Google I/O in May, and two more at the Galaxy Unpacked in London on the 22nd, for a total of four.
With Samsung Electronics entering, competition in the AI glasses market is expected to intensify. Meta has taken the lead with products developed in collaboration with eyewear brands such as Ray-Ban. Samsung Electronics is countering with Google's AI, integration across Galaxy devices, and designs from eyewear brands. The yet-to-be-determined sales price and the usefulness people can feel in daily life will be variables that determine early success.
