Google’s answer to Meta’s Ray-Ban partnership: Warby Parker

Google has plans to take on Meta’s Ray-Bans smart glasses with a high-profile partnership of their own: The company is teaming up with eyewear brand Warby Parker to create future Android XR-powered smart glasses, it revealed at its Google I/O developer conference Tuesday.

In addition to Warby Parker, Google has also struck a deal with South Korean eyewear brand Gentle Monster to make future Android XR glasses. The company is also still pursuing plans to make glasses in partnership with Samsung, with Google saying in a blog post Tuesday that the two companies are teaming up to create “a software and reference hardware platform” for such devices.

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And finally, Google revealed Tuesday that Xreal will make a set of tethered smart glasses running Android XR. These glasses, code-named Project Aura (pictured above), are scheduled to come out “soon after” Samsung’s Project Moohan Android XR headset, which itself is supposed to come out “later this year.” I guess this means we could see Xreal’s glasses some time in early 2026, perhaps even timed to CES.

Xreal has been making AR glasses for some time; the company has side-stepped more complex challenges of such devices by focusing on simpler hardware than what companies like Apple and Meta are working on. Xreal’s glasses are tethered devices, meaning that both compute and battery are outsourced either to your phone, or a dedicated puck-type of device. 

And instead of using more advanced waveguides, Xreal uses what’s known as birdbath-style AR. I wouldn’t expect the company to change course for this new device, but it’s worth noting that the company recently began using a new optical system it calls “flat prism” that allows for much slimmer optics. I would expect this new Android XR device to use a similar approach, as anything else would be a step backwards.

Project Aura will be released as a developer device, and Google did not reveal any further details about its plans to release true consumer smart glasses Tuesday. However, Google’s Shahram Izadi suggested Tuesday on stage that Andeoid XR smart glasses will have “an optional in-lens display” — suggesting we might see audio-only smart glasses similar to Meta’s Ray-Bans as well.

Developing, updated with additional information on audio-only glasses.

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