The news: Google demoed its latest version of smart glasses, Android XR, at this week’s I/O developer conference with features that could rival Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses.

The AI-enabled glasses, which go beyond the speaker, microphone, and camera of standard smart glasses, are expected to be released sometime in 2025.

The potential: This is Google’s second foray into glasses after it killed, revived, and re-killed its Google Glass AR product.

But Android XR glasses could succeed where Glass failed.

• Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses paved the way. Consumers are already adopting smart glasses thanks to the Meta and Ray-Ban partnership.
• High-profile partnerships. Google is following Meta’s lead in outsourcing fashionable frames and has already signed up Gentle Monster and Warby Parker—forgoing Glass’ cyborg-type design.
• Turn-by-turn navigation. Incorporating Google Maps into the extended-reality (XR) frames helps pedestrians keep their eyes up and off of their phones.
• Real-time translation. Smart-glasses makers zeroed in on real-time translation at CES this year, but Google Translate with a Gemini AI engine would make Android XR a standout.
• Open operating system. At I/O, Xreal debuted its Project Aura glasses, powered by Android XR. Sharing the OS with other brands will give Google a boost with or without its own glasses.

The potential pitfalls: Just because it’s a flashy new product doesn’t mean it’s guaranteed to be a winner for the search giant. It’s still a demo at this point, and real-world tests are necessary.

Other roadblocks could include:

• Competing smart glasses. This one’s a pro and a con. Ray-Ban Meta glasses have an edge as the first smart glasses to really take off. It will be a steep hill for Google to climb.
• Price. Google Glass hit the market at $1,500. Ray-Ban Meta glasses start at $299. The cost of XR Android glasses will have to be comparable for mass adoption.

Our take: Google could outmaneuver other mainstream smart glasses by incorporating features like heart rate or step tracking from its Fitbit property.

While the demo previewed innovative features, they’re all still in development. If they make it into the final version of Google’s product, its glasses could surpass Meta’s.

Go further: Read our report on Smart Glasses and Digital Natives Fuel AR/VR Market Evolution.

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