Pre-orders open Thursday; full launch in South Korea and US set for Dec. 10
Gentle Monster models priced at 650,000–700,000 won; up to 9 hours per charge
Gemini AI integration, privacy protections highlight the new lineup
Samsung Electronics and Google have thrown down the gauntlet in the AI glasses market, where Meta currently holds a commanding lead. The two companies unveiled 30 models under their jointly developed Intelligent Eyewear lineup.
The Intelligent Eyewear line integrates Google's Gemini AI to deliver AI-powered experiences in everyday life, with Samsung Electronics providing optimized hardware to back it up. The devices were also designed with privacy protections for both wearers and those around them.
Samsung Electronics announced Thursday (local time) in New York that it had unveiled 30 Intelligent Eyewear models developed in collaboration with Google, Gentle Monster and Warby Parker. Pre-orders open Thursday through the official online channels of Gentle Monster and Warby Parker, with a full launch in South Korea and the United States set for Dec. 10.
In South Korea, only the Gentle Monster collection will be available, priced at 650,000 to 700,000 won ($486 to $524) including tax. The Gentle Monster models weigh 39.6 to 43.9 grams with standard lenses, excluding prescription lenses, while Warby Parker models weigh 40.4 to 42.6 grams. Battery life reaches up to nine hours on a single charge, or up to 72 hours with the charging case.
The Gentle Monster collection spans 16 models across six frame designs in black, gray, dark red and other colors, while the Warby Parker collection offers 14 models across three designs in pine, saddle and jet black. Starting Dec. 10, South Korean consumers will be able to try the products at Gentle Monster stores nationwide, as well as at Samsung Gangnam and the Samsung Store in Hongdae.
Through Gemini, wearers can ask questions about objects or surroundings in their field of view and hold natural conversations. Practical uses include translating restaurant menus in foreign languages and getting turn-by-turn directions through a maps app.
The glasses also aim to boost productivity. Users can photograph a whiteboard during a meeting, ask Gemini to summarize the content, and save the result directly to Samsung Notes on a Galaxy phone. A hands-free mode lets users reply to messages by voice while on the move or occupied with other tasks, without looking at a phone screen.
Samsung Electronics' mobile hardware capabilities underpin the natural AI assistant experience and hands-free interaction. The Intelligent Eyewear runs on the Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1 platform and pairs with Galaxy phones, employing a split-computing architecture that distributes some processing tasks between the glasses and the connected phone.
A 12-megapixel HDR camera on the left side of the frame supplies the visual data Gemini needs to understand the wearer's surroundings. Two open speakers — one on each side of the frame — allow users to take calls, listen to media and receive AI responses while remaining aware of ambient sound. Four microphones pick up voice commands to power the various AI assistant functions.
Samsung Electronics said it considered privacy from the design stage, protecting not only wearers but also people nearby. The glasses are built to make clear when the camera is active, and users can directly control how their personal data is collected and used.
An external LED indicator lights up whenever a photo or video is being captured. Wearers are also alerted through an internal indicator light and an audio cue to prevent unintended recording. If the external LED is obstructed or malfunctions, the camera automatically disables. A wear-detection feature turns the camera off when the glasses are removed.
The speakers are designed to minimize sound leakage, protecting the wearer's privacy during calls while still allowing ambient sounds to be heard. During live Gemini conversations, voices other than the wearer's are blocked to protect the privacy of bystanders.
Users can manage permissions on a per-app basis and control how Gemini activity data is stored and used. Visual data collected by Gemini is not used to train AI models or for advertising purposes.
When Gemini scans the surrounding environment, on-device processing anonymizes facial information to prevent the personal data of nearby individuals from being exposed. To promote responsible use, the device is restricted to users 18 and older, with age verification required during device activation and app download.
ko@heraldcorp.com
