After entering the scene with its Galaxy XR headset, Samsung seeks a battle with Meta in the smart glasses space. Up ’til now, rumours of Samsung’s first proper pair of smart specs were exactly that: rumours. Now, Android Headlines has offered consumers their first real look at Samsung’s specs, cementing them online.
Heart of glasses
Codenamed ‘Jinju’, Samsung’s first outing won’t match Meta’s Ray-Ban Display efforts, which forgo a heads-up display and let their tech do all the talking. That won’t be the case forever. A second pair — ‘Haean’ — is also in the works, touting a built-in display, currently slated to go on shelves sometime in 2027, costing $600-900 (∼R15k).
Samsung won’t force customers to ask for the ‘Jinji’ glasses at the till. It’s unclear whether it’s landed on an official name, but we’re betting it’ll stick with something like Samsung Galaxy Glasses. It’s generic enough to get the job done, anyway. Android Headlines reckons the specs will debut anywhere between $380 and $500.
Unsurprisingly, Samsung’s glasses share a lot of DNA with Meta’s Ray-Ban eyewear. From what we can see, there’s no flashy glasses brand lending its expertise here — at least not publicly. Back in October, Samsung confirmed it had teamed up with Google, Warby Parker, and Gentle Monster to build out its frames.
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Like its bulkier brethren, these will also run on the Android XR platform, though Google’s Gemini will handle any AI requests the user might have. Translating signs out in the wild, snapping pictures, or asking about directions using Google Maps are just a few of the commands the AI assistant can handle on the go.
The other bits making up the Galaxy Glasses are still unconfirmed, though we’ve got a rough idea of the components that’ll be used. First up is the 155mAh battery powering the thing, bolstered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon AR1 SoC. Because of this, it seems Samsung’s managed to keep the weight around the 50g mark. Sony’s 12MP IMX681 will enable the specs to see the world around you, while directional speakers report back.
There’s no telling exactly when we’ll see Samsung’s glasses turn up. It’s a safe bet to expect them at Samsung’s next Unpacked showcase, likely taking place in July. We’ll almost certainly see the company’s new foldables arrive at the event, alongside the Galaxy Watch 9 line-up. Hopefully, there’s room for one more wearable.
