Google takes a page out of Meta’s book, announces new audio-powered smart glasses

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Summary

Google announced a partnership with Warby Parker and Gentle Monster to produce new AI-powered audio glasses that respond to verbal commands, available later this year.

Google is calling the new devices "audio glasses," in that users will be able to issue verbal commands to them and get things done via its ecosystem of apps and services, including Gemini.
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# Google takes a page out of Meta's book, announces new audio-powered smart glasses | TechCrunch Source: [https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/19/google-takes-a-page-out-of-metas-book-announces-new-audio-powered-smart-glasses/](https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/19/google-takes-a-page-out-of-metas-book-announces-new-audio-powered-smart-glasses/) ![](https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_1421.jpg?w=1024)**Image Credits:**TechCrunch 12:15 PM PDT · May 19, 2026 Google is getting \(back\) into the smart glasses game\. At Google I/O on Tuesday, the company announced a new partnership with Warby Parker and Gentle Monster to produce a new line of AI\-powered glasses\. The company says that the devices will be built to pair with Android and iOS devices and were designed in collaboration with Samsung\. They will be available later this year, the company said\. Google is calling the new devices “audio glasses,” in that users will be able to issue verbal commands to them and get things done via its ecosystem of apps and services, including Gemini\. ![](https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_1413.jpg?w=680)**Image Credits:**TechCrunchThe user simply talks to their glasses \(the demo shared on Tuesday involved a Googler ordering a coffee online by merely talking to the glasses\), and the device, when synced, complies\. Google has dabbled in smart glasses a number of times over the years\. It notoriously launched[Google Glass](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/feb/19/google-glass-advice-smartglasses-glasshole)years ago, which ultimately helped spawn the derogatory term “glassholes\.” The smart glasses space has changed a little bit since then, however\. Lately, major companies — most notably Meta — and a small army of startups and smaller firms, have invested in the space\. *When you purchase through links in our articles,[we may earn a small commission](https://techcrunch.com/techcrunch-affiliate-monetization-standards/)\. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence\.* Lucas is a senior writer at TechCrunch, where he covers artificial intelligence, consumer tech, and startups\. He previously covered AI and cybersecurity at Gizmodo\. You can contact Lucas by emailing lucas\.ropek@techcrunch\.com\. [View Bio](https://techcrunch.com/author/lucas-ropek/) ## Most Popular

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At I/O 2026, Google unveiled the Android XR smart glasses ecosystem. The first audio glasses, powered by Gemini, will launch in fall 2026, offering hands-free voice assistance, navigation, cross-app operations, and real-time translation, in partnership with Samsung, Gentle Monster, and Warby Parker.