Many would argue that Meta’s collaborations with Ray-Ban and Oakley were key to smart glasses being accepted as a mainstream fashion accessory. Being able to blend in like a traditional pair of Wayfarer sunglasses while offering the wearer the ability to do things like take photos, videos and listen to music was a game-changer.

But not everyone loves the idea of wearers being able to capture pictures and video.

Thankfully, the Meta smart glasses all feature a privacy light, and not just the Ray-Ban and Oakley models, but Meta’s new own-branded models too. And that light shows when the camera is actively recording or taking a photo, so it helps allay some fears.

Unfortunately though, not everyone in the world is just using smart glasses to take pictures of their friends or pets. There have been reports recently suggesting people have instead been tampering with the light so it wouldn’t be seen by those nearby when the camera was active.

What will the new Meta smart glasses update include?

Meta is taking action though. It announced in a post, spotted by 9to5Google, that it will release an update that disables the cameras if the privacy light has been “physically tampered with or destroyed”.

The post said: “The camera is disabled when people try to do this. Beginning with our second generation of glasses, the camera is automatically disabled if we detect that the capture LED has been blocked.

“No photos or videos can be taken until we detect that the light is unblocked.”

But, as some users have gone beyond sticking tape over the camera, Meta is now going one step further: “We are continuously improving our ability to detect tampering, and now we’re updating the glasses to disable the camera if they detect the LED was physically tampered with or destroyed.”

For services that offer to tamper with the LED, Meta also said it was working to “remove ads, posts, and Marketplace listings,” and mentioned legal action against individuals or businesses involved.

It also told 9to5Google that the update announced today is rolling out now and will be “mandatory”.

We must say, it comes as much better news than the announcement Meta made that the smart glasses Conversation Focus feature will be locked behind a paywall. Let’s hope this latest update acts as a warning to those who have been using smart glasses for the wrong reasons.

Samsung's smart glasses are on track to launch before the end of 2026, as the collaboration between Samsung, Google and Qualcomm comes to fruition. These will be the first from the partners to compete with Meta's Ray-Ban glasses.

Now we've got a much better idea of how Samsung's smart glasses are going to work, thanks to a leaked video showing them in action. There doesn't appear to be any branding on these glasses, giving this video a sort of generic feel (we've previously seen leaked renders with "Samsung" along the arms), but the details seem accurate.

The new video joins a collection of leaks that point to how Samsung Galaxy Glasses are going to pair and be controlled, although the actual naming of the glasses isn't fully confirmed yet.

The video points out the hardware features and some of the controls, the camera and LED on the front, so people know you're filming. There's also an additional LED inside so you can see that you're filming, too.

We're then shown a button on the top of the right-hand arm, along with the touch area, which appears to support both taps and swipes. The operation of this is expected to be much like it is on headphones.

This corroborates with details that previously appeared from SammyGuru, which appears to have come from the same source.

SammyGuru refers to these as the "Warby Parker version", although comparing these to high quality images on the Warby Parker website, they're a similar but different design – the position of the bridge is entirely different.

Therein lies one of the problems: there's still plenty of confusion about what Samsung is actually launching and where all these smart glasses lie.

A large part of the communication has been about the partnership with Gentle Monster and Warby Parker – shown off at Google I/O as the first devices to use Android XR alongside Xreal Aura.

But some of the leaks we've seen for Samsung Galaxy Glasses have pointed to a slightly different design, along with the talk of One UI XR – the experience that Samsung layers over the top of Android XR.

There's long been talk of Galaxy Glasses as a separate piece of branding from other Google smart glasses, although we also know that the collaboration with Gentle Monster and Warby Parker will result in multiple designs.

Hopefully there will be some clarity soon, with 22 July expected to see Galaxy Unpacked hosted in London, with the potential that Galaxy Glasses will be on stage.

Usually associated with projectors of all shapes and sizes, Xgimi announced its first foray into smart glasses earlier this year. It launched a sub-brand, MemoMind, and teased the first "AI glasses" models during CES in January.

Now they're almost ready for release and the MemoMind One specs in a trio of styles are available to pre-order. What's more, they have huge discounts ahead of the final on-sale date.

A "launch special" price is available on the official Kickstarter page, offering any of the three styles from just $399 / £301 a pair. That's with plain glass lenses. If you want to add prescription lenses, that goes up to $499 / £376, although that's with 43% off the usual $879 RRP.

The three styles are called Nomad, Gotham, and Archive, with the latter featuring round frames, while the other two are more square. All three glasses come with dual displays that only the wearer can see.

There's somewhat a trend with display glasses today. Rather than a camera and two-way voice interaction, the MemoMind One glasses are similar to the likes of Even Realities' G2 and the Rokid Glasses.

They feature a green AR display that hovers in front of your eyes, detailing different notifications and specific features. The software is different between them, as well as the styles and build, but the concept is similar.

The MemoMind One include the on-device assistant, Memo AI, an AI translator service, notes, a recorder, a teleprompter, and map navigation. You can also bring up other functions and tools, such as your calendar.

Those are part of your glasses purchase, although some other AI features will requite a Memo+ subscription. This is free for 12 months for "deposit holders" and six months for Kickstarter backers. It usually costs $19.99 per month (around £14.99).

The smart glasses venue is becoming much busier this year, with many models launching. But considering MemoMind has already secured more than £400,000 in backing in just a day or two, these could be at the top of ones to watch.

The Ray-Ban and Meta collaboration has been pivotal in the acceptance of smart glasses, and the pair have expanded and improved their devices over time.

New features have been added, and although Meta is also now going it alone with its own designs, they have become synonymous with the tech category. It was only a matter of time though, before the tech giant started to look to monetise the growing segment further.

One of the more interesting features announced when the Gen 2 Ray-Ban Meta glasses were launched was Conversation Focus. It's an "AI-powered" tech solution that uses the beam-forming microphones on the glasses to isolated and amplify voices of the person you're looking at.

This is great during meetings in crowded situations, and is especially useful for those with hearing difficulties.

However, it us now being locked behind a paywall.

It has been revealed that if you want to use the Conversation Focus feature in future, you'll need to pay for a Meta One subscription – even though the function works on the device itself, rather than through a data connection to the cloud.

A Meta One Premium plan enables some paid services through multiple apps and devices, such as Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp, as well as Meta AI and AI glasses. But, as reported by 9to5Google, it is also being applied to this specific on-glasses feature.

Other AI features should still work without the subscription, but the paywall does seem weird in this context. And basically, those who specifically bought Gen 2 Meta smart glasses for the feature may be dismayed that they'll now have to pay extra just to use it.

Meta One Premium was first announced in May, but is rolling out now. It costs $19.99 per month in the US and my own pair of Gen 2 glasses will no longer work with the Meta AI app until I update them. The subscription rollout is part of that update.

While this seems to be a current trend across AI devices – with many other brands adopting monthly subscription models – maybe it's something that will make you consider which pair of smart glasses to adopt. After all, you might not care enough about the AI tools in WhatsApp or Facebook to justify the additional cost.

The Samsung Galaxy XR might have taken its sweet, merry time to come to the UK, but a release date is now imminent and I got the chance to spend two hours with one prior to it arriving.

Pre-orders are now open for the £1,699 headset with shipping to start on 8 July, and although it was launched in the US and South Korea last October, this was my first chance to try it personally.

In many ways, prospective UK owners might have had longer to wait, but they are getting a better product. Some of the initial software quirks and bugs have been ironed out, and new features have arrived in post-launch patches. So what are my first impressions?

Well, even from the first minute I was struck by just how sharp the dual Micro-OLED displays are. You cannot see the pixels (3552 × 3840 per eye). The resolution is higher even than the Apple Vision Pro, which I was already impressed by, and it's the first time in any VR or mixed reality headset that I've even stopped looking for flaws.

The field of view is also exceptional – at 109° x 100° – and so you stop thinking that you're looking through a couple of lenses at a virtual scene, but just allow yourself to get swept away in it.

That's enhanced by its relative light weight – 545g – which is impressive considering the build quality and materials used. And also by the lack of latency in its external view mode.

As soon as you put the headset on, you can see the outside world in glorious colour and high resolution 3D, shot through two outward facing, passthrough cameras. It helps ground you, as you see everything in real time around you.

The super low latency continues with gesture sensing, as the additional six cameras on the faceplate and just underneath also track your hands and fingers. It seems extremely responsive and accurate, with fairly light movements tracked accurately.

I'll be going into more detail when I've had even more playtime with the headset for a full review, but interacting with the virtual overlays and utilities was as akin to Minority Report as I've ever got before. Within seconds (thanks to a startup tutorial) I was throwing around windows in the demo room, and bringing up and resizing software like a pro.

Among all the built-in tools I tried, Google Maps was one of the most impressive – allowing me to literally zoom into London's Camden, the place of my childhood, and visit the streets where my parents still live.

I also tested the spatial imaging options in Google Photos, which turn your pictures and videos into 3D to look around in a different perspective. However, arguably the most impressive tryout was with 4K World Cup highlights in YouTube.

Grabbing the corner and expanding the screen to IMAX-like sizing, I was left in no doubt that this was the best way to watch live football. Admittedly, there were fewer friends and pints involved, but I've never seen the action so close and so pin sharp before.

I can only imagine how good it'd be to take a Samsung Galaxy XR on a long-haul flight to catch up on some of the latest blockbusters in a full cinema-style experience.

Of course, there's much more to the headset and I'm looking forward to giving the Android XR software a more robust test in the coming week or so. And I'd like to see just how much playtime I can get from the separate battery pack (up to 2.5-hours, claims Samsung).

Until then, I'll watch the England and other World Cup matches on my 65-inch OLED – albeit with a background feeling that it's no longer the best way possible.

Samsung Galaxy XR UK pre-order deals

The Samsung Galaxy XR is available to pre-order on Samsung's UK webstore for £1,699.

There are also a few deals available for those looking to get in early. For starters, if you order via PayPal, you'll get £100 off. You just need to enter the code PAYPALXR at checkout.

That offer is available until 7 July 2026, the day before the full release.

Other offers do last a bit longer.

Deals until 4 August 2026:

• Get 10% off Galaxy XR when you buy any Samsung Galaxy smartphone.

Deals until 30 September 2026:

• Save 30% on a travel case and controllers, and 10% off any Galaxy Buds or Galaxy Watch when ordered with the Galaxy XR.

Deals until 16 December 2026:

• Redeem an explorer pack for free, containing a bundle of apps and subscriptions (Google AI Pro, YouTube Premium Pass, Google Play Pass, and more).

The UK is the next country to get the Samsung Galaxy XR, after the US and South Korea. It is T3's understanding that it will also become available in other regions over the coming months.

Smart glasses are rapidly becoming THE tech trend of 2026 and Meta has announced its first collection away from the likes of Ray-Ban and Oakley.

Meta Glasses have the same tech heritage as the latest Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 glasses, but at a lower price point. And considering that they are also made in collaboration with EssilorLuxottica – the owner of Ray-Ban – you can still expect a high quality finish and styling.

In fact, Kylie Jenner fans might even prefer them, considering one style has been made in collaboration with the Kardashian sister. Meta Glasses by Kylie come in a slim, oval frame, while the other two designs are more traditional.

Meta Adventurer has a square, almost Warfarer look about it, and the Meta Fury is chunkier and blocky – a modern take on a timeless classic.

There are a huge amount of options available, which can be found now on Meta.com. They include multiple frame colours – Classic Black, Classic Tortoise, Racing Green, Linen, Merlot, Mahogany, and Sandstone. And there are different lens options too, including clear and Transitions.

They are also compatible with prescription lenses from -12 to +2.25.

Prices are very attractive, especially considering Meta Glasses feature the same AI-powered features as the seasoned Ray-Ban Meta equivalents. You get access to Meta AI, live translation, and camera capture for stills and video. Audio is built into the frames too.

The Meta Glasses Adventurer and Fury models start at just £269 / $299, with the Meta Glasses by Kylie starting at £359.

An optional charging stand has also been introduced, which is also compatible with most other smart glasses from Meta. That's available for £55.

Snap has been developing smart glasses for a decade, so it didn't come as a surprise to see it finally launch a consumer pair this week. What was perhaps more surprising was the reaction – many believe they are simply too chunky, look heavy to wear, and are far too expensive.

But that's not my view, I disagree on most points. And that's because they're not actually smart glasses at all.

It seems many compare the Specs to the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, or even the Meta Ray-Ban Display, but they are world's apart. A better comparison would be with the Apple Vision Pro and Samsung Galaxy XR headsets (which has just landed in the UK).

That's because Snap Specs are AR glasses, designed to overlay graphics onto the real world around you – even the Meta Ray-Ban Display doesn't do that. They aren't a device to chat to your favourite AI assistant through, but to play games, watch movies, and generally do the things you'd do with a bone vide mixed reality headset.

And in that, you could argue that they're very stylish and a step forward.

I've actually had a go on a previous generation – the fourth generation Snap Spectacles, which were released mainly for developers. I came away very impressed, although my biggest criticism at the time was the amount of chonk in their construction.

The experience though was next-level, with graphics and information hovering around me without the need for a heavier, stuffy headset. That's the point of the Snap Specs – to give you interactive augmented overlays on the world around you, without being cumbersome.

Taking a Vision Pro on a flight is a great experience for sure – being able to watch movies and shows on a virtual 100-foot screen – but the headset and case is hand luggage in itself. Snap Specs come in relatively small charging case.

In addition, and this is the real kicker, the reason that the Snap Specs are chunkier than many smart glasses is that the battery – which provides four hours of battery life in normal use. That's around an hour more than Vision Pro. And the battery for the Apple headset is a separate brick you have to put in a pocket. It's built into the Specs' frame.

So okay, you might not want to wear the Snap Specs around town all day, but that's not really the point. These are augmented reality glasses, not your average smart glasses, and there must be concessions for that.

As for the price, yeah that is a barrier – $2,195 / £1,995 a pair is considerable. But then, the Vision Pro is £3,499 in the UK, so again, it's relative for the use case.

Of course, there will still be doubters and that's okay, it'd be a dull old world if we all liked the same things. As for me, I can't wait to try out the new Snap Specs when they become available soon.

You can pre-order a pair in the UK, US or France for delivery this fall (autumn). I'll let you know what I think closer the time.

There's nothing quite like seeing the fruits of your labour, and that sort of big cathartic moment was probably what Snap was hoping for when it finally unveiled its full-on augmented reality glasses this week – Specs. While those who've seen them in person seem impressed by the build quality, I have to admit that my first thought on checking out the reveal is to remain extremely sceptical.

By all accounts, and according to T3's own impressions of earlier prototypes of the AR glasses tech that Snap has been working on for years now, the usability and UI of the Specs are likely to both be big hits. Snap's taken the time to do the groundwork and ensure that its underlying tech is really impressive, and it sounds responsive and slick.

Having the option of a virtual 115-inch display wherever you go is indeed a nice pitch in theory, and I'm not deaf to the argument that they could be amazing on a plane journey when you want a big screen all to yourself.

However, while there are clearly technical parts of the Specs that are really impressive, there's a hurdle I simply can't get over, which is that they look like the goofiest glasses since Google Glass, and outstrip by far the size of the Meta Ray-Ban Display, a far more mainstream-looking product.

That's before we even get to the insane price tag attached – $2,195 / £1,995! That's wild money to be an early adopter of some glasses that are highly likely to make you look ridiculous unless you have the sort of chiselled face that could get away with almost anything fashion-wise.

Let's loop back to the wearable's design, though, because it's really the biggest factor causing me to doubt things. Snap's promotional images lean heavily on models to make the Specs look good, and do a solid enough job with carefully-selected angles.

Sunglasses are indeed more forgiving than spectacles in terms of frame size, and chunky oversized ones aren't unheard of, so I can see how these pictures make people think the Specs could be workable. It's the images from Snap's press event that undermine things, sadly – with CEO Evan Spiegel wearing them in the room and giving people a more realistic sense of what they look like.

You can get a really good look at him in them thanks to this report from our sister site Tom's Guide, and I can't help but feel he looks faintly ridiculous in them. He's literally tethered to these as the big bet he's making to save Snap from a slide into irrelevance, and the early shareholder response seems to have been fairly worrying, which won't leave him sleeping too easily.

The biggest red flag is the way the Specs' chunky arms seem to be crushing his ears, which looks anything but comfortable – while that might be down to his head shape, if they're not adjustable enough for the CEO, what hope for the rest of us? Weighing in at 132g, after all, these are not insignificant in terms of weight.

A battery life of four hours admittedly means you won't wear them for a whole day at a time, most likely, but that's not the greatest outlook either way. The combination of a sky-high price and divisive looks makes me strongly suspect that this will be a generation of glasses that very, very few people actually buy.

Their specs might be impressive, but the actual Specs are going to be a super interesting case study in whether a smaller company than Apple can afford to launch a similarly niche product to the Vision Pro, for all its hope that they could end up being more mainstream, somehow.

While Snap might still be seething about the UK's forthcoming social media ban, which includes Snapchat, it also took to the stage at AWE's XR + AI event on Tuesday to announce more positive news.

Snap Specs will finally be available as a full, working product later this year, with preorders open now.

These are no mere smart glasses. The launch venue couldn't have been more apt as Specs are augmented reality glasses – essentially squeezing the capabilities of the Apple Vision Pro or Samsung Galaxy XR into a smaller, everyday form factor.

I've actually tested a previous, developer-only model in the last couple of years and was impressed. That was the fourth-gen Snap Spectacles and they've seemingly come on leaps and bounds since then.

Specs are the company's seventh generation model and it's easy to see the main external change – they now look like something people would wear daily. This no mean feat as all of the processing and power are built into the frames themselves. You won't have to tether them to an external battery or device.

The frames are made from a Swiss TR90 polymer plastic and the maximum weight is just 136g (there are two sizes, 47mm and 52mm).

The lenses include a proprietary liquid crystal on silicon technology for the display. This has a 51-degree field of view and is capable of showing up to 16 million colours. They're also electrochromic, so can be tinted or clear.

The glasses run on two Snapdragon processors – one for computer vision, the other just to drive the lenses. You can connect them to your phone, but the experiences are activated on the Specs themselves.

Battery life is claimed to last up to four hours with "mixed use", and although that's not ideal for full day wear, the included charging case stores four additional charges – allowing you to get up to 20 hours.

What's also important is that, as Snap has been developing its platform and glasses for many years, multiple developers have already created experiences and apps for them. This includes games, map navigation, video streaming, golf guidance, and much more.

There's just one thing you probably need to sit down for – the price. The Snap Specs will ship in the US, UK and France this "fall" and are priced at $2,195 / £1,995.

These are early days for the technology of course, and future generations might be cheaper, but that's the price of being an early adopter. And to be fair, Snap has beaten Apple, Google, Meta and Samsung to the punch with a consumer release for full AR glasses. That in itself should be applauded.

Samsung has finally brought its premium Android XR headset to the UK, with preorders now being accepted and shipping expected to start on 8 July 2026.

The Samsung Galaxy XR was released at the tail end of 2025 in the US and South Korea, so it's taken a while to reach the UK too. However, it could be that Brits are the lucky ones, as many of the initial bugs may well have been ironed out by now.

The Galaxy XR is the first headset to launch using Google's Android XR platform. It was designed in collaboration between Samsung, Google and Qualcomm – which provides the Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 chipset. There's 16GB of RAM on board, along with 256GB of storage.

Although we don't have a final price at the time of writing, the headset is priced at $1,799.99 in the US – similar to the Apple Vision Pro, which is seen as a direct rival.

That puts it in a totally different category to the Meta Quest 3 and 3S, and the specifications support that step-up.

The display in particular is super high-end. You get a 3552 x 3840 resolution on a Micro-OLED panel. This results in 27 millions pixels in view, so images are super sharp.

It is also capable of refresh rates up to 90Hz, with a 109-degree horizontal field-of-view.

There are two high-resolution passthrough cameras on board, along with six front-facing tracking cameras. Inside the visor you also get four eye-tracking cameras, which helps make the experience more natural and limit motion sickness.

There are dual two-way speakers built-in, to provide stereo sound without needing headphones, and beamforming microphones for chat and voice recognition capabilities.

Battery life lasts up to two hours on a charge with normal use, and like the Apple Vision Pro it's a separate pack that is connected to the headset. You can also use the Galaxy XR while the battery is charging.

Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 are supported, and the whole headset weighs 545g. Prescription lenses are also available separately for glasses wearers.

"The UK launch of Galaxy XR marks a significant milestone for Samsung, introducing a new category of AI-native devices," said Samsung UK's vice president of product and marketing, Annika Bizon.

"Our ongoing collaboration with Google and Qualcomm Technologies reflects our long-held belief that an open ecosystem accelerates innovation and creates seamless, connected experiences across the Galaxy ecosystem."

Samsung will also launch its first smart glasses later this year, also in collaboration with Google.

To paraphrase Chris Martin: we live in an augmented world. But don't panic: the rise of virtual reality (VR) and proliferation into new markets – from augmented reality (AR) to mixed reality (MR) – has seen stacks of powerful products appear.

Those which don't rely on being tethered to a separate PC, such as Samsung's Galaxy XR headset, depend on capable chipsets within, such as the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 chip used within that very product. Quite the mouthful of a name, right?

No longer! Qualcomm has revealed at AWE 2026 – that's the Augmented World Expo, so a perfect place for the reveal – that it's incoming top-tier chipset is called the Snapdragon Reality Elite.

This doesn't run on Oryon cores like its mobile-focused Snapdragon 8 Elite (Gen 5) chip, however, the 'Elite' stamp is merely to represent this is best-of-best in what Qualcomm offers for XR products.

So just what will this new chipset mean and why might it matter for future products, now that the XReal Project Aura is confirmed as the first product to feature it? Here's a summary:

More power

Qualcomm reckons the Snapdragon Reality Elite can deliver graphics (GPU) performance with up to a 60% performance increase at the same power level as the previous chipset.

Compute (CPU), meanwhile, is quoted as up to a 45% increase – also at the same power level as the outgoing chipset.

Better battery

Those are big figures, of course, but it's actually the 'same power' part that's important.

Imagine when running at lower demands, the saving to processing could yield greater battery life as a result.

Qualcomm doesn't make batteries, granted, but it's the number one bugbear of consumer tech products – and using less power ought to mean greater use per charge.

Sharper visuals

Augmented and mixed reality depend on virtual overlays to the real world, requiring a video see-through (VST) processing pipeline.

Beyond resolution of a product's display, the Elite chipset has improved latency, resulting in cleaner, sharper image potential.

Improved foveated processing – a technique that, like the human eye, focuses most detail front and centre, with peripheral areas utilising less detail – from the image-signal-processor also ought to help with directing workloads for better visuals.

Smaller devices – greater comfort

While a chipset is obviously a tiny part of a product – and they're only getting smaller – Qualcomm has spent a lot of time redesigning the thermal output of this platform.

Less heat means less space required for dissipation, thus future products could be even smaller – as well as literally cooler.

That can only mean greater comfort potential, especially where the thermals are concerned, with no unnecessary brow sweats.

Lower latency

The Elite chip also improves the visual analytics engine, which is important for three-dimensional depth estimation, tracking of objects and the user's head position.

Lower latency in those processes will mean a subtle but tangible improvement in connectivity between the real and virtual worlds.

Which devices will feature it?

This brand new chip has only just been revealed – with XReal's Project Aura the only confirmed product to feature the hardware.

No doubt there'll be more to come and, who knows, perhaps a future Samsung XR headset update will take benefit of the feature improvements.

Smart Glasses may well be cutting edge tech, but they're also at the centre of a growing wave of concerns over privacy. And that's not about to get any less controversial, as new information is coming to light about a feature baked into the devices with alarming potential.

Dubbed NameTag, the software is intended to use AI to recognise faces as seen through the cameras on the glasses. The news comes from Wired, which has found details as part of a deep dive into the Meta AI app.

Perhaps most concerningly, the report suggests that parts of that code had been added from as early as January. That seems at loggerheads with quotes from Meta in April, where it suggested that any such roll out would take "a very thoughtful approach."

Now, it's worth being really clear here – the feature is not currently enabled. Instead, it's a dormant piece of code sat in the back end.

So, the real question is whether or not this is a good thing. I can certainly see the lighter side – I'm positively dreadful at remembering names, and getting a little reminder of the name of someone I've only met once or twice before would be really handy on trips and networking events.

But there's a much more sinister potential side to this, and it's really hard to ignore. Let's be frank – this technology would allow those with bad intentions (stalkers or other abusers) log faces and use them to identify strangers in public places.

The Wired report goes on to suggest that the system pulls faceprints from Meta's servers, which will almost certainly raise further alarms. Is it possible that face data from its other platforms – the brand owns Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram – could be used in training this system?

This is certainly going to be an interesting launch...

The smart glasses market is certainly growing, with more models released in the last 12 months than pretty much every previous year put together. But don't expect Apple to come to the table anytime soon.

Even though it is rumoured to be joining the likes of Meta and Ray-Ban, plus newcomers Samsung and Google, with its own AI-powered spectacles, a new report claims that the project has been delayed.

We're not likely to see Apple Glass until "late 2027", in fact.

According to Bloomberg's resident Apple expert, Mark Gurman, even though Apple planned to announce its own smart glasses this year and launch them early next "there have been delays".

"There have been some bumps on the road to Apple becoming an eyewear giant," he wrote in his PowerOn newsletter this weekend.

"As is often the case with major new Apple products, there have been delays. The company is now working toward launching the glasses at the end of next year, I’m told," he added.

This gives the Meta x Ray-Ban / Oakley partnership further time to strengthen its position as market leader. Even the launch of Samsung Galaxy Glass – part of the Intelligent Eyewear platform and collection announced during Google I/O – won't come until later this year.

We suspect the first Samsung glasses will be officially launch during July's Galaxy Unpacked event, alongside the latest foldables, but we're not sure when they'll be available to buy as yet.

As for Apple, the other suggestion is that even what Apple Glass arrives, it could be locked to the company's ecosystem. This comes as no surprise as Apple products don't tend to work natively with Android that often.

But a delay makes sense anyway, considering Apple Intelligence has largely lagged behind rival AI systems until now. We fully expect to learn about the all-new version – powered by Google systems and Gemini – during WWDC 26 next week, but even that would have to be bedded into other devices before becoming the bedrock for a new product line.

So, if you are after a pair of smart glasses, you're best to look elsewhere at present.

Google I/O brought with it news from Samsung and Xreal about their smart glasses, giving us the chance to see (in the case of Samsung), the sort of design that Gentle Monster and Warby Parker will be offering.

There are two distinct types of glasses that Google is working on - display glasses (which aren't ready yet) and audio glasses (which also aren't ready yet). While we wait for display glasses to have their moment, the focus of Google I/O's reveal was on audio glasses.

With presenters on stage showing two styles, the good news is that there will be a "bigger collection", but the bad news is that they are coming "this fall". That's right, despite the XR project being introduced in 2023, you still can't actually buy Android XR glasses.

What about the Galaxy XR headset?

The first Android XR device was unveiled in late 2025 - the Galaxy XR - although availability of the headset is currently limited. It's not available in Europe, which does raise some questions. It's also expensive at $1799, suffering from the same price barrier as Apple Vision Pro.

While having a universal Android platform for these devices is key to developer engagement, I think the lesson we've all learnt from Apple Vision Pro is that people aren't rushing headlong into buying these types of devices, no matter how premium you make them.

When T3 tech writer Max Freeman-Mills tried the Galaxy XR for himself, he struggled to see the advantage over Meta Quest models at less than half the price. That's not something to be ignored.

Is Meta's lead unassailable?

I don't mention Meta by accident: the company has an 82% global market share in smart glasses according to Counterpoint data from February 2026. Meta launched its Ray-Ban glasses in 2023 and they have already gone through several iterations, so that's no surprise.

Moving beyond Ray-Ban, Meta also partnered with Oakley - another eyewear powerhouse - to expand the options. Buying Meta's glasses is easy, because even if you're not using the smart functions, you're buying into highly desirable brands.

That makes a difference: Samsung has turned to Gentle Monster and Warby Parker. Warby Parker is known in the US but less so globally, while Gentle Monster is a small disrupter-focused brand - neither has the mass market appeal of brands like Ray-Ban and Oakley.

While we're waiting for Android XR to get its ducks in a row, the incumbent champion looks increasingly attractive, while fuelling its success with thousands of POV videos across social media.

How will Google actually change the game?

Gemini is key to the Android XR experience. It's going to allow for easy interaction with a familiar and powerful AI assistant, and the advantage of that experience being universal across your phone and desktop. This is the Google ecosystem advantage that could topple Meta, if it works seamlessly.

I say that because this isn't the first wearable to offer Gemini, or even Gemini Live. The Google Pixel Buds already offer much of the audio experience that Android XR users will get - and it's not always as seamless.

I've been using Google Assistant and Gemini on Pixel Buds since its inception. I still find it blighted by slow responses, lengthy pauses and generally not doing what I ask it to. It's easier to pull my phone out to check my messages, because Gemini, currently, just isn't great with what it delivers.

Integrating visual intelligence into the picture will bring Google's full AI power online - as well as seamless integration with services like Google Maps - with the huge Android developer base ready to swing in to widen app support.

But Google and its partners will be launching its new "Intelligence Eyewear" into an increasingly hostile environment, with more people calling out such smart glasses as "an invasion of privacy".

When will Android XR glasses be available?

We just don't know. The loose timeframe we have is "fall". That suggests September or later - until then, if you're after a pair of AI glasses, then Meta's models are ready and waiting.

I've tested a fair few smart glasses recently, from multiple different brands, but the ones I get asked about most are the Ray-Ban Meta variants. They are undoubtedly the poster products for the category at present, and while they will soon be joined by other big brand rivals, they continue to be the yardstick by which others are and will be compared.

Now you can (literally) see why for yourself, and for a lot less cash, as there is a range-wide sale on Ray-Ban Meta Gen 1 and 2, and Oakley Meta glasses. You can get up to 25% off some of the best styles, although you will need to be quick as the offer is only available for a limited time – until Monday 25 May, in fact.

As well as frames with clear and prescription lenses, several sunglasses are available in the sale, along with the HSTN sports glasses from Oakley Meta. That includes variants designed for golfers, with lenses that aid the tracking and finding of golf balls against the green fairways.

And, of course, the iconic white pair with Prizm Ruby lenses are discounted, too.

If you want to save even more, you can get the last-gen Ray-Ban Meta styles for even less – including Wayfarer and the classic Skyler frames.

It's also worth noting that the deals aren't just limited to the UK, they are also available in the US and other countries too. And there are more models on offer.

I've been wearing Ray-Ban Meta glasses for a while (both Gen 1 and, most recently, Gen 2) and the capabilities have improved over time.

Meta AI has been enhanced significantly, for example, and is great for both real-time navigation – especially when walking around London, without fear of having your phone snatched – and notifications.

I've not really used real-time translation much, although I understand it to be very effective. However, the photo and video quality, especially in the Gen 2 and Oakley models, is superb.

As heavily rumoured in the build up, Samsung and Google have partnered for a new smart glasses venture, with Ray-Ban and Meta firmly in their sights.

The new range will be called Intelligent Eyewear and has been created in collaboration with spectacles brands Gentle Monster and Warby Parker.

As with the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, Intelligent Eyewear pairs with a mobile phone and gives wearers access to AI features through voice commands. There is no display (not initially anyway), while the glasses can come in sunglass or clear lens styles.

Each pair will keep the wearer informed with notifications from their phone, guidance through Gemini – such as directions or local attractions – and real-time translations. One neat feature is that the translation will match the speaker's voice, using AI speech.

The glasses feature speakers in the arms, plus a camera unit on the front of the frame – this will see what the user sees, to better enable advice. It can also be used to take photos and, we assume, video.

The Samsung Intelligent Eyewear collection will run on the Android XR platform and will hit stores "this fall". Additional details, including price and exact availability will be announced "in the coming months".

"This intelligent eyewear marks an important step in Samsung’s vision for AI,” said Samsung's head of consumer experience, Jay Kim.

“With this new AI form factor, we are further expanding the Galaxy device ecosystem, where each device is optimised to deliver unique AI experiences that best fit each form.”

The glasses are naturally a direct competitor to the Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 that are available now. Other brands are also starting to release their own rivals, including L'Atitude 52°N with its Berlin pair having gone on pre-order today.

It's likely to become a busy market soon, especially with additional fashion labels lurking in the background and waiting to unveil their own smart creations.

James Bond has always had a knack for gadgets, from exploding pens and laser watches to tricked-out Aston Martins, but the latest piece of tech entering the world of 007 feels surprisingly believable.

AI smart glasses brand Even Realities has announced a partnership with IO Interactive and Amazon MGM Studios that will see its Even G2 smart glasses integrated into the upcoming game 007 First Light.

According to the company, this marks “the first time a modern wearable has been woven into the fabric of a Bond gaming experience where a real-world wearable can double as a spy-inspired gadget.”

Bond gadgets are getting more believable

Unlike the camera-heavy approach taken by smart glasses such as Meta Ray-Ban, the Even G2 focuses on discreet heads-up display functionality instead.

The glasses can show notifications, live translations, AI-generated notes and teleprompter-style prompts through a tiny built-in display, all while looking far closer to traditional eyewear than most AI wearables currently on the market.

In many ways, that low-profile design philosophy feels more “Bond” than the current crop of camera-first smart glasses.

Even Realities describes its technology as “subtle, seamless, and quietly powerful,” which sounds almost tailor-made for a fictional spy.

The integration itself will arrive as a post-launch update for 007 First Light later this year, though neither IO Interactive nor Even Realities has revealed exactly how the glasses will function in-game.

The rise of invisible computing

While much of the recent conversation about smart glasses has centred around AI assistants and wearable cameras, companies like Even Realities are betting on ambient, glanceable computing instead.

One of the reasons Meta Ray-Ban glasses became controversial (in some circles) is their always-available camera system, something Even’s glasses notably avoid.

Instead, the G2 leans into invisible tech and minimalism, an approach that has already earned praise from some early reviewers and has now apparently caught the attention of the Bond franchise, too.

“We build technology that doesn’t shout for attention,” said Even Realities founder Will Wang in the announcement. “Both worlds value intelligence, discretion, and design that performs when it matters most.”

The Even G2 smart glasses are available to buy now from Even Realities, with prices starting at $599 / £599 / €699 / AU$649.

Samsung could reveal its Galaxy Glasses at Galaxy Unpacked, said to be taking place on 22 July in London. It's expected that the new AI glasses will be revealed alongside the new Galaxy Z phones.

It's long been known that Samsung is working on AI glasses, with rumours suggesting that it will offer both screened and non-screened glasses, powered by Android XR.

Samsung previously released the Galaxy XR headset, working with Google to reinvigorate the company's wearable display devices – with the move into glasses driven by advancing AI capabilities.

We previously heard that the AI glasses are being built under the codenames Jinju and Haean, and now new details about the launch timing comes from Seoul Economic Daily.

Samsung has been working with Gentle Monster on the new glasses, with Android XR at the heart and Gemini baked into the experience to provide the AI skills.

It's thought that the Galaxy Glasses will be launched to compete with Meta's popular Ray-Ban models, first without a screen and offering capture, audio and voice controls.

Samsung's second pair of glasses are expected to be launched in 2027, offering an internal display for more of an augmented reality experience.

That could see Galaxy Unpacked offering the Galaxy Glasses alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide, Galaxy Z Flip 8 and Galaxy Watch 9 series.

That will not only be a bumper selection of Samsung devices, but it will see Samsung launching into a new category and helping to expand the proliferation of AI glasses, this time powered by Google.

This leak comes at an interesting time: Google is just about to host Google I/O and there's a chance that we'll learn more about Google's future plans for Android XR. That could see the Galaxy Glasses getting some time on stage alongside other announcements even sooner than the summer launch.

The Gentle Monster Galaxy Glasses are thought to be powered by the Snapdragon AR1, have a 155mAh battery, 12-megapixel cameras on the front and feature photochromic lenses.

Samsung appears to be working on not one but two pairs of Android XR-powered smart glasses due for release relatively soon.

According to sources of Android Headlines, we can expect to see these new Samsung glasses arrive in 2027. They will come in two forms, each differing in price and feature sets.

The first, dubbed code name "Jinju", will be a more simple set of glasses akin to the current Ray-Ban Meta offering. These will not feature a screen but should offer voice controls using AI on the connected Samsung phone.

The second, code named "Haean", should be more expensive but could come with an augmented reality screen thanks to a micro-LED display. Samsung, as a display manufacturer, was always expected to offer a screen-toting pair of glasses at some point – here's hoping the wait is due to the perfecting of that screen offering.

The Samsung Galaxy Glasses are expected to arrive as the follow-up to the Galaxy XR, which is an Android-powered mixed reality headset, more in the style of the Apple Vision Pro. While these will fit into that line of wearables, they will be far more mobile and design led – running on the Android XR platform.

The glasses leaked in the images here are the Samsung Jinju, which can be seen to feature dual lens cameras but are not expected to have a display. This is reserved for the more premium model. That should mean these remain lighter and more efficient on battery performance.

Google is working on its own smart glasses which will also run on that XR platform. So expect it to be well refined and ready for Android friendly integrations right from launch. Also expect to hear more about the Android XR platform, and Google glasses, at the Google I/O 2026 event next month.

How much will the Samsung glasses cost?

The Samsung Jinju glasses, without display, are claimed to be priced at between $379 and $499.

The Samsung Haear glasses, featuring that micro-LED display, should go for between $600 and $900 a pair.

The company is expected to launch the glasses publicly in 2027.

Apple appears to be working on a set of glasses that will let you use natural hand movements to interact.

Citing one of its a sources, MacRumours claims we can expect Apple to release its own version of the Ray-Ban Meta glasses, only with enhanced interactivity.

The glasses will apparently be AI-powered and should feature two high-resolution cameras. This powerful combination should mean they can detect hand movements that allow the wearer to use gestures to interact.

Rumours of low-res cameras on AirPods could mean the two combine for a super accurate experience.

What do the Apple AI glasses offer?

Apple allegedly plans to incorporate the enhanced version of Siri to help you take photos, record video, make calls and interact with the real-world.

The glasses may have a display overlaid on the lens so as to offer an augmented reality experience. Much like with the Apple Vision Pro, these glasses should be able to offer similar gesture controls, if these rumours prove accurate.

While those cameras are going to be valuable assets when it comes to gesture controls, they could also be hugely appealing as a phone alternative. If these are able to capture even close to phone level snaps then it could mean instant sharing of what you see, as you see it.

This could not only make for a fantastic way to capture shots quickly, where reaching for your phone might otherwise make you miss the shot – but also for intimate moments where people are caught in the moment, not distracted by a phone.

Of course, that opens up a whole debate on privacy and that's something we'll leave for the legal lot to sort. But for now, the idea of a camera on your face – and gesture controls of your device, is very appealing indeed.

When can I expect Apple glasses?

Apple is rumoured to be quite far along in the process of creating its own glasses.

The company could even preview them later this year with a launch expected in 2027.

While the smart glasses space has been relatively dominated by one brand for a while, it looks set to explode soon. There are rumours that several major brands are gearing up to enter the space, which should galvanise more users.

The latest leaked images show off an impending model from Samsung – and it will look very familiar for anyone who has used the Meta Ray-Ban Wayfarer's. While not an exact match, the design used here is pretty darn similar, which should make switching up easy for anyone who wishes to do so.

According to the report from Android Headlines, the model will make use of a Snapdragon AR1 processor, complete with a 155mAh battery. The model is also said to feature a 12MP Sony IMX681 camera on the front, for first-person POV content.

The model is expected to arrive using the Android XR platform, complete with Gemini AI capabilities. The design is rounded out with bone-conduction speakers in the arms, and photochromic transition lenses.

This isn't a model with displays in the lenses, though that is also said to be in development from the brand. Those are slated for a 2027 launch, according to the same report.

In terms of pricing, there is no concrete information at the moment, though the rumour mill has given us something to work with. Estimates place it somewhere between US$379 (approx. £280 / €325 / AU$530) and US$499 (approx. £370 / €425 / AU$695).

That puts them broadly in line with Meta's pricing structure, though it will of course be dependent on the ongoing pricing crisis happening with certain computing components. The subsequent display model is expected to cost roughly twice as much, though again there could be some variance between now and when that gets released.

Either way, it feels like an exciting addition. Meta aren't a small company, but getting Samsung in on the act is certain to give the sector some added gravitas – much like it did with the smart ring sector and the Samsung Galaxy Ring.

Smart glasses are talk of the town at the moment. They are far from new, as I mentioned the other day when discussing the report that claims Apple’s plans to release a pair (or a few pairs) are ramping up. But over the last couple of months, it certainly seems like more and more companies – and not just tech companies – are hoping for a slice of the smart glasses pie.

The latest report on the matter has said that Gucci will too be throwing in its two cents’ worth. Gucci's CEO, Luca de Meo, told Reuters (picked up by 9to5Google), the brand is aiming to launch smart glasses with Google.

What to expect from the Gucci smart glasses

When asked about the timeline, Luca de Meo told Reuters "probably next year, 2027", though that's the extent of the information available for now. There’s nothing to say whether these glasses will have displays within them, or whether they will be audio only and have cameras and sensors, much like the popular Ray-Ban Meta Glasses and Oakley Meta Glasses currently offer.

Google has already announced partnerships with Gentle Monster and Warby Parker for the Samsung smart glasses due to release, so another partnership isn’t all that surprising. It also won’t be the first time we have seen Gucci involved in technology. The brand currently has a partnership with smart ring company Oura, while back in 2015, it got involved with will.i.am to deliver a smartband. And that’s just a couple of examples.

I can see Gucci-branded smart glasses being particularly popular, however, especially if there are a couple of styles available or if any of the current Gucci glasses inspire the smart glasses styles coming. For now, details are of course scarce but I wouldn’t be suprised if in the next few years, Gucci smart glasses are the first of many fashion and tech collaborations and I am absolutely here for that.

Call it a sign of the times. Meta has become the latest big tech company to announce imminent price hikes for some of its flagship products, in the form of new global pricing for the Quest 3S and Quest 3 headsets, making it harder for people to get into VR at a time when the sector is flagging in a big way.

The cause of the price hikes will surprise absolutely nobody, either. Meta cites the rising cost of manufacturing thanks to huge price spikes in memory chips, although it leaves out the bit where it explains that the AI boom is the single biggest root cause of those price spikes.

The outcome? The Quest 3S, which is aimed at being the affordable way to get into VR and certainly ticked that box when we reviewed it, will now be £30 more expensive in the UK and $50 more in the US, in its baseline 128GB version. The same bump is also being added to its 256GB version.

The Quest 3, meanwhile, gets an even bigger bump. It comes with 512GB of storage, and sees a price jump of £80 in the UK and $100 in the US. In case that all wasn't clear, here are those prices laid out again:

• Quest 3S (128GB): from £290 to £320 | $300 to $350
• Quest 3S (256GB): from £380 to £410 | $400 to $450
• Quest 3 (512GB): from £470 to £550 | $500 to $600

Meta does an amusing job of trying to spin this as not being all that bad, maintaining that "even with these changes, Meta Quest 3 and 3S remain the best-value headsets on the market". That might still be debatably true, but it doesn't change the fact that people will be getting a tangibly worse deal if they buy the headset from 19 April onward, when the new prices come into effect.

It wasn't great when the PS5 Pro got a £90 price hike, and it's not great to see the Quest headsets going the same way, but this does all underline how tough a period we're in for tech consumers. You have to wonder whether it gives any pause to companies like Meta, which is simultaneously making a pricing decision it knows will have an impact on sales, but also pushing AI integrations and branding in its other products.

One suspects that such doublethink is familiar in the corporate world, though, so don't expect any big 180s or pullbacks from AI, certainly while investors still seem to be going stir-crazy for any mention of it.

If you want to see the full global breakdown of all the new prices, check out Meta's blog post announcing the hikes here, and (needless to say) if you were about to buy a Quest 3 or Quest 3S and you're reading this before 19 April, then you might want to hustle and do so ASAP to save some cash.

Smart glasses have been around for a fair few years now. Google started things off with Google Glass back in 2012, but they weren’t ever that popular and were discontinued back in 2015. Snapchat then launched Spectacles in 2016, which gained a little more traction, but it’s Ray-Ban Meta and Oakley Meta glasses that have arguably made smart glasses much more desirable in recent times.

Samsung has confirmed it too is also working on smart glasses to add to the number of options available, while Apple is also rumoured to have some in the works. And although there has been plenty of gossip on the latter, we've never really heard much about their design.

That's now changed, with Apple expert Mark Gurman writing in his latest Power On newsletter that at least four different styles of frames are currently being tested.

What might we be able to expect from Apple Glasses?

According to Gurman, a least a couple of the designs could be familiar: “Apple is exploring a range of finishes, including black, ocean blue and light brown. As with AirPods and the Apple Watch, the goal is to create a design that is instantly recognisable.”

They include “a large rectangular frame, reminiscent of Ray-Ban Wayfarers", plus a "slimmer rectangular design, similar to the glasses worn by Apple CEO Tim Cook"

There are also "larger oval or circular frames" and "smaller, more refined oval or circular" options under consideration.

It’s worth noting that these smart glasses are more like Ray-Ban Meta Glasses in operation, not a fully AR variant (which could also be in development). They will likely include cameras, microphones and sensors, but not their own display.

It’s said they will be able to deliver notifications from a connected iPhone, capture photos and videos, play music and deliver AI features like interactions with Siri.

Gurman has claimed the cameras on the glasses will be arranged in an oval pattern with lights around them.

In terms of a launch date, he believes the smart glasses are on track to be announced later this year or early next. He did caveat that they may not be released until spring or summer 2027, however.

Of course, nothing has been confirmed by Apple itself as yet, so it’s still a waiting game for now.

While much of the smart glasses space is still chasing futuristic AR concepts, Even Realities is taking a more grounded approach.

The company has announced a major update to its Even G2 smart glasses, alongside a new developer platform called the Even Hub, positioning the device as a practical, AI-powered assistant for everyday conversations rather than a full-blown mixed reality headset, such as Apple's Vision Pro

If that sounds familiar, it’s because this is the same lane currently occupied by Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses, but Even’s take leans less on capture and content, and more on real-time assistance.

From listening tool to conversation assistant

The biggest upgrade is a redesigned “Conversate” experience that now includes a feature called Prep Notes.

Users can upload documents, briefings or background information before a meeting, and the glasses will surface relevant prompts, suggested answers and key facts in real time during conversations.

Instead of acting as a passive transcription tool, the company says the system is designed to help you actively participate, nudging you with context as discussions unfold.

The interface has also been rebuilt to reduce clutter and keep information subtle enough not to distract from face-to-face interaction.

There’s also support for switching between live captions, suggestions and prep notes using gestures or a companion smart ring, reinforcing the idea that this is meant to stay out of the way.

An app store for your face

Alongside the software update, Even Realities is launching the Even Hub, an open platform that lets developers build apps directly for the glasses.

It includes everything from ebook readers and breathing exercises to more unexpected use cases, such as chess and car management tools, hinting at a broader ecosystem play.

With the updated Meta Ray-Bans now available only in the US for the foreseeable future, the update puts Even Realities in a much better position in Europe and the UK.

Prep Notes is available from 26 March 26 via the Even Realities app, while the Even Hub is expected to roll out as early as next week.

The Even G2 smart glasses are available to buy now from Even Realities, with prices starting at $599 / £599 / €699 / AU$649.

I love going to the cinema and watching films and series at home with my wife, but like everybody else, I also like to keep some content for myself. Stuff that might not be available in the cinema, MUBI art movies that my wife certainly doesn’t care about, or random clips I found on the internet.

While watching all of these on my phone is fine, I’ve often wondered if there was a wearable display, somewhat smaller than the Apple Vision Pro, that could project a screen in front of your eyes. Turns out, there is, and I’ve been testing it for the last few weeks.

A more polished take on a familiar idea

As the number at the end of its name suggests, the Air 4 Pro isn’t Rayneo’s first take on the concept. My colleague Andy tried the Air 2 XR a couple of years ago, and even though he liked it, thanks to their cool and promising approach, he couldn’t help but feel the glasses were a good example of early-stage tech with clear limitations.

The Rayneo Air 4 Pro feels a lot more polished than its predecessor straight out of the box, and not just because it comes with a little clip-on Batman mask (actually, it feels polished despite that). The glasses retain the shape and appearance of the original but introduce a few significant changes.

Chiefly among these is native HDR10 support, which is a world’s first in AR glasses. The brand says a custom Vision 4000 processor enables HDR playback and improved contrast, while the Micro-OLED panel delivers up to 1,200 nits of brightness and a 200,000:1 contrast ratio.

The Air 4 Pro also offers solid audio performance, at least on paper. The speakers were tuned in collaboration with Bang & Olufsen, along with redesigned sound channels designed to reduce leakage and improve spatial separation.

The company probably envisioned that some people might want to use the Air 4 Pro on public transportation and included what they call sound tubes in the box, which are essentially little silicone tubes that funnel the sound from the speakers into your ears. They look like fins, if you ask me.

Rayneo offers prescription inserts for its glasses, allowing short-sighted users to also enjoy the experience. Lucky for me, even though my eyes are being ruined due to staring at my computer all day, my long-distance vision is still good enough to see the projected screen on the Air 4 Pro.

Big-screen ambitions, small-screen reality

Speaking of projected screens, Rayneo says the display you see in the Air 4 Pro is comparable to a 100-inch TV, which feels somewhat hard to imagine. Even though they are advertised as AR glasses, the Air 4 Pro is more of an external display and doesn’t place the screen in your environment.

The screen you see is very much in front of you, surrounded by darkness provided by the clip-on cover (or the Batman insert). The glasses can be used without these, but it’s not like you can see much through them; the screen isn’t a HUD that lets you see the world around you in full detail.

Instead, the Air 4 Pro projects the screen right in front of your eyes. As mentioned before, I wear glasses for reading, but the screen projected by the Air 4 Pro is clear, which suggests my eyes perceive it as being further away.

The image quality is commendable for what are essentially high-tech sunglasses. Blacks look rich, and the colour looks lively, with enough contrast to make most movie scenes enjoyable.

The corners can be a bit softer, and I wish there were a way to move the screen further away in the virtual space it appears in, which might help bring everything into view more comfortably.

The Air 4 Pro lets you customise the image, offering three picture modes (Standard, Movie and Eye Comfort) and three dynamic modes (SDR, AI-HDR and HDR10). You can mix and match these to find one that is most pleasing to your eyes.

The menu is operated with the rockers on the glasses' arms. The tiny menu button is on the left, along with the volume rocker, while the brightness rocker is located on the right. It’s a fairly straightforward operation, and you can get used to it quite easily.

Where the experience falls short

The biggest issue is that the Air 4 Pro is still just an external display, not smart glasses like the Oakley Meta Vanguards or the Oakley Meta HSTN. You can’t operate the source device with the Rayneo, so you will have to keep lifting the glasses off your nose to dismiss notifications or skip sections.

Plus, even though the cable is plugged into the source device at the end of the glasses’ arm, you’re still very much tethered to the phone or laptop. I could put up with all of this if the Air 4 Pro just sounded a bit better. The speakers are simply too quiet to be usable in real-world situations, such as commuting.

It might be that the Air 4 Pro is passive, relying on the source device for power, which could limit its acoustic output. I wish I could just listen through my headphones while using the Rayneo with my iPhone, but it seems to override that option as soon as I plug it in, forcing me to use the glasses’ speakers.

(Supposedly, the Rayneo + headphones option works on Android phones.)

A glimpse of what’s coming next

The Rayneo Air 4 Pro is another curious gadget from the company. It’s certainly more sophisticated than its forerunners, offering better image quality and design. Sadly, the lack of oomph from its speakers lets the experience down.

I would be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy using them, as the Air 4 Pro glasses provide a different viewing experience, one that’s personal but visually immersive. Not sure if the glasses could be updated via a software update, but if so, please, RayNeo, add an option to let me use my own headphones.

For now, the Air 4 Pro feels more like a glimpse of what personal displays could become than something you actually need to own. It’s available to buy from Rayneo US and Rayneo UK for $249 / £249 (~€216 / AU$354), or $269 (~£202 / €233 / AU$382) for the Limited Justice Edition (Batman) and Limited Chaos Edition (Joker).

Apple's Vision Pro might have an uncertain future when it comes to new versions, with the company thought to be switching its attention to smart glasses instead, but that doesn't mean it isn't gaining new features and apps in the meantime.

Earlier this year, Nvidia released a version of its cloud gaming service for the Vision Pro, with GeForce Now adding the ability to play more than 4,000 PC games through the headset. Now an update has arrived that makes the experience even better.

Also available for the Meta Quest 3 and 3S, as well as Pico 4 headsets, the GeForce Now update adds 90 frames per second gaming to the service. That means you'll get buttery smooth action when viewing through your Vision Pro – including on the likes of Cyberpunk 2077.

This runs through your Pro's browser. You just need to head to play.geforcenow.com to sign in and you can choose your games from there. Gameplay will be available in up to 4K 90fps depending on your GeForce Now plan.

There are three tiers available – Free, Performance and Ultimate. The new frame rates are only available to Ultimate subscribers, which costs either £19.99 / $19.99 per month or £199.99 / $199.99 for a whole year of access.

Ultimate members also get to run their games on the best hardware possible, with full RTX 5080 graphics on supported games. It's the equivalent of playing a title on a PC gaming rig worth £1,000s.

What is Nvidia GeForce Now and what games can you play?

Nvidia's GeForce Now cloud gaming service has been around for more than a decade and runs differently to rivals, like Xbox Clouding Gaming with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

That's because it gives you streaming access to your existing PC games, bought on digital platforms like Steam, GOG and Epic Games Store. More than 4,000 titles are supported, as well as plenty of free multiplayer games you can find online.

You need an account, but there's a free tier to allow to you play your games for up to an hour at a time in 1080p. A step-up Performance tier gives up to 1440p resolutions and six hours of playtime per session – that costs £9.99 / $9.99 per month.

And finally there's the Ultimate tier, which can stream in up to 5K and 240fps on compatible hardware, and in eight-hour play sessions.

Multiple devices can be used to play Nvidia GeForce Now games, including some smart TVs, mobile and gaming handhelds. And once you have an account, you can save and pick up the same games from where you left off wherever you fancy.

Live video of your gameplay is streamed over the internet, so all the processing and hardware intensive elements are performed remotely. Your control codes go in the reverse direction.

Nvidia GeForce Now is one of the best services we've ever used when it comes to latency or the lack therefore. It's as close to feeling like you are playing on local hardware as cloud gaming has ever got.

If you’re in the market for smart glasses, then the most obvious options to consider right now are either the Ray-Ban Meta or Oakley Meta Glasses. Both look like typical glasses, in their respective styles, while adding a number of smart features that make them considerably more useful than your average Wayfarers.

However, there might soon be a new, big name contender in this field, and rumour has it, they could come with better battery life than the Ray-Bans.

What could Samsung's smart glasses offer?

According to a report by Sammobile, Samsung could launch its Galaxy Glasses this year, which will not only be the company’s first smart pair, but they'll apparently have a 245mAh battery.

For context, the Ray-Ban Meta Glasses are thought to have a battery capacity of 154mAh, so that would give Samsung’s Galaxy Glasses quite the advantage in this department.

Elsewhere, the Galaxy Glasses are claimed to be coming in a sunglasses variant and come in a number of colours and styles, though it is not clear what these will be.

Samsung has confirmed it is working with Gentle Monster and Warby Parker, so it's expected there will be a couple of styles designed in collaboration with those eyewear brands.

Hopefully, that'll include Gentle Monster's excellent Soho 01 [pictured].

In terms of other specifications, the Samsung Galaxy Glasses are rumoured to have an eye-level camera, which could feature a 12-megapixel sensor, while microphones and speakers are expected.

There is also thought to be a touch-senstive control area, as you might expect, while Android XR is said to be powering the glasses with Gemini on board to help with AI tasks.

For now, there is no word on when the Samsung Galaxy Glasses might make an appearance, but with the company typically announcing its smartwatches at the end of summer, it’s possible the smart glasses could also debut then, too. We will keep you posted.

Apple is heavily rumoured to be working on its own smartglasses. These Apple Glasses, could appear soon as the company's answer to the Meta MR glasses, Oakley's Meta HSTN and more. But it's the AI integration that could be truly disruptive.

These new glasses from Apple are rumoured to be an "all-day AI companion". This is what could spell the end for iPhone and smartphones in general.

Imagine a wearable, with cameras, microphones and speakers that can see and hear all that you can. Run that through an AI and all you need to do is speak to get more information on whatever you're experiencing. A far more natural way to interact with tech than a smartphone, right?

Sure, initially these glasses will need a companion smartphone to run, but expect them to be cloud based and strand-alone in the near future.

Leaks and rumours suggest that Apple is working on integrating dual 0.9-inch OLEDoS displays on the glasses so visual information can be overlaid on what is being seen by the wearer. So, again, no need for a smartphone screen at all.

Right now the rumours suggest a host of uses for this inteligent AI built-in the glasses. These include telling you ingredients from looking at a plate of food, naming landmarks in navigation, adding information from an event poster right onto your calendar, guiding you to items from a grocery list, and more.

So while smartglasses may initially be socially awkward to adopt, it's likely they'll quickly become the norm and smartphones will be remembered as bulky, unnatural things of the past.

Apple has not confirmed it is working on smart glasses but with the many, many leaks and rumours growing ever greater, it feels close to a certainty that we can expect a pair soon.

Now a new report adds further weight, and even throws out potential release timelines.

To be clear, Apple is expected to release two types of smart glasses. The first is said to compete with the likes of the Meta Ray-Ban Smart Glasses and Snap's Spectacles. The second is rumoured to be more advanced, like the expected MR glasses from Meta.

According to market research firm Omdia, we may see the simple specs appear first with the advanced models landing later – specifically after Meta has launched its next-gen version.

Both Meta and Apple's advanced AR glasses are reported to feature dual OLEDoS (OLED on Silicon) displays to project images onto the lenses. This technology is specifically designed to work on small displays, such as those in devices like smart glasses.

The difference between this tech and traditional OLED is that the LED layer is placed directly on a silicon wafer. The result is a far higher pixel density in a much smaller form factor.

Both are essential on smart glasses where the display will be super close to the eye and pixel count has to be high to ensure clarity.

Meta is reportedly working on its next-gen MR glasses for release as early as later this year. These are expected to feature dual 0.9-inch OLEDoS panels.

We hope to hear more leaks and rumours as this technology goes into production, but don't expect Apple to join the fray until it's perfected. Possibly in time for a 2028 reveal.

It might have taken two years but the Apple Vision Pro finally has a native app for a service that many would consider essential – YouTube.

Google has previously teased that it was coming, but Vision Pro users can now download YouTube for visionOS from Apple's App Store.

According to the app's blurb, the app is capable of "turning every video into a spatial watch experience". This includes 3D 360 and VR180 videos and standard clips and shorts.

You get to see most videos in a floating window, overlayed onto your surroundings, but some will appear in your field of vision, in VR style – with fill 360-degree immersion. That's much like the Meta Quest 3 experience that's been available for a while.

Those with the latest M5 version of the Apple Vision Pro will also be able to view content in up to 8K. And if you subscribe to YouTube Premium, you can sign in and enjoy all videos without adverts and with the best picture quality.

The YouTube app for visionOS is free, although a Premium subscription costs $13.99 / £12.99 per month.

It's not all good news for Apple Vision Pro users though

Sadly, while YouTube has finally arrived on the platform, it was recently revealed that, due to an ongoing patent dispute, the Disney+ app no longer offers 3D video when viewed in Europe.

The Vision Pro app was somewhat unique in that it enabled the viewing of certain movies in 3D, but Disney has had to remove the feature for now.

This is true for Dolby Vision on other devices within the EU, which is currently withheld until "technical issues" have been resolved.

Meta is in an odd position right now, where VR is concerned. It's coming off the back of a number of years of hardware dominance, in which its Quest headsets have been clearly the most mass-appealing way to get into VR.

Its latest launch, the Quest 3S, nabbed a five-star verdict from yours truly when I tested it at the beginning of 2025, after all – but the last few months have been turbulent. While it's adamant in public that it's not pulling back from VR, Meta has nonetheless slashed a number of studios working on software for the headset, including games.

Still, that doesn't mean the hardware conveyor belt is static. There's almost no doubt we will get more Quest devices down the line, and the rumours and leaks indicate that at least one of these could be way smaller than you might think (with a major asterisk).

The headset is reportedly codenamed Phoenix, and this week a couple of prominent leakers have uploaded mock-ups of what it might look like. One shows the headset itself in comparison to the Quest 3, and the other shows the battery pack that will partly explain how the headset's so small.

If these mock-ups are accurate, the Meta Phoenix headset could be unlike anything else out there right now. It looks like an honest-to-goodness cross between a VR headset like the Quest 3S and some AR smart glasses, able to be worn far more comfortably and with lighter weight.

It'll of course also apparently be tethered to a battery pack, one with a clip designed for waistbands. That's reminiscent of far more expensive XR options like the Apple Vision Pro and Samsung Galaxy XR, both of which outsource the battery away from the headset to keep it comfortable.

It'll be fascinating to see if we get any noise from Meta about this device any time soon, and not just so we can see if these leaks are accurate (since the leakers claim to have seen physical prototypes).

We normally only get product announcements from Meta at the annual Meta Connect event, and the next iteration of that isn't due until October this year. That sets us up for a long wait in the meantime, although the expectation and leaks indicate there will be a more normal Quest VR headset to accompany Phoenix, too.

Who knows, though – perhaps that time will help Meta to figure out a more elegant solution for its battery aims than a tethered one. That approach has always felt like a bit of a cop-out to me, and undermines the slickness of given headsets pretty noticeably.

The world of virtual reality headsets is a strange one. Once pegged as the new frontier for tech and gaming, these devices have largely fallen by the wayside, with brands opting to pivot towards smaller, more fashion-focused smart glasses.

It makes sense, too. A more wearable everyday product is likely to have a wider mass appeal than the larger headsets, which have proven to be more niche than many will have hoped. Even so, the news that Meta was laying off around 10% of its Reality Labs division was tough to take.

As many began to suggest that it was the beginning of the end for Meta's VR endeavours, form Oculus founder, Palmer Luckey, had a different take. In a long post on X (formerly Twitter), he suggested that the changes were "a good thing for the long-term health of the industry."

Luckey says, "The majority of the 1,500 jobs cut ... were roles working on first-party content, internally developed games that competed directly with third party developers. I think this is a good decision, and I thought the same back when I was still at Oculus."

His argument is that Meta subsidising its own games at the expense of improving its platform stability and technical features "doesn't make sense" – especially when it also crowds out smaller, third-party developers.

While I definitely don't wholeheartedly agree with his statement, I can certainly find some common ground. If Meta can refocus some of that resource into improving its platform, the overall experience would certainly be better. Many users cite issues with central spaces like the Horizon Worlds app, which could be improved upon to make the overall prospect of owning a Meta Quest more enticing.

Even so, in the short term, it's tough to look at the move as anything more than a backwards step for the industry at large.

Disney+ has launched on Meta Quest, meaning there's a native app allowing owners to watch the full catalogue of entertainment on Meta's popular VR headset.

Select content will also be presented in Dolby Vision with Dolby Atmos audio, as long as you have a Premium subscription to the streaming service.

The confirmation means that subscribers to Disney+ will be able to watch content from big franchises such as Star Wars, Marvel and Pixar on their headset, for a personalised viewing experience.

It will also be possible to download content to the Quest headset for watching on the move.

The Meta Quest is positioning itself as a personal movie theatre, adding Disney+ to the selection alongside Netflix, YouTube and Prime Video, while Peacock is also offered for live sports content in the US.

Why stream TV and films on a Meta Quest

The advantage of watching using a device like Meta Quest is reduced distractions. It's right there in front of you, so rather than looking at your phone with all the notifications and interruptions that brings, using a headset can lead to a really immersive experience.

Disney+ presents itself in the exact same way as Prime Video, with the ability to enlarge the screen like you're in a personal cinema.

There's the option to view it flat or curved – which looks more immersive – while there's also a slider to adjust the real-world brightness around the screen you're watching on.

A "darker" function makes it more cut-off, while "lighter" is a reminder that you're still sitting at home. I watched a little Thor Ragnarok and while the large screen is great, it's possible to see the pixels, so it's not as sharp as on the best TVs.

Dolby Atmos on Meta Quest?

The audio through the Meta Quest's speakers sounds good too. It's not quite the same as a full Atmos experience at home, but it's definitely entertaining.

The downside of watching through a headset is that some might find it more tiring, because of the weight of the headset and because there's no break for the eyes – it's always on a fixed position, compared to watching on a TV or phone when you'd occasionally look elsewhere, providing some relief from eyestrain.

VR headsets are in a strange place at the moment. Since the first iteration of these devices about a decade ago, they've come back with renewed purpose, with Meta Quest the most successful device out there.

That mostly comes down to longevity and affordability: unlike the Apple Vision Pro that while technically excellent is too heavy and too expensive for most users and the new Galaxy XR which is not widely available (and also too expensive).

It feels like we're on the cusp of another wave of headsets, powered by Android XR that come with the advantage of Gemini AI to allow for a more personalised experience with conversational control, while offering access to a full range of services.

To really capture the attention of the buying public, I think such headsets will need to come down in price to rival the Meta Quest, before people will take them seriously. At the same time, while a range of games and services are available, it's not until we see mass adoption (most likely though platform dominance and affordability) that the developer community will really throw themselves behind the technology.

The addition of Disney+ is welcome and for those with a Meta Quest headset already, this is a great way to catch up with the latest movies.

The way Samsung's been rolling out its Galaxy XR headset has made for quite a long wait here in the UK, where it's still not on sale. In the US, though, it's been publicly available for a short while, which made CES 2026 the perfect opportunity to finally get hands-on with the device.

I got a briefing behind closed doors from Samsung, showing off the headset and some new features that it'll get this year, and it was a very intriguing first experience with Samsung's vision for high-fidelity XR.

First off, I got something of a straightforward tutorial in how the headset's interface works, which largely means getting used to hand-tracking and the trademark pinch gesture that steers so many of its menus and buttons. As someone who's used Meta Quest headsets a bunch, this didn't take long to get to grips with.

Going through some tutorials and then having a play around with Google Earth (which has been a VR and XR demo favourite for years and years) confirmed what I expected from the Galaxy XR. Its resolution is indeed impressively sharp, and the way you can use it while enjoying clear visuals of your surroundings is indeed impressive.

It also confirmed my less optimistic suspicions, though – namely, that a headset priced so expensively might struggle to justify its cost for most people. That's largely because, while the hardware is decently comfortable and impressive in resolution and sharpness terms, it really doesn't offer much that far cheaper VR headsets can't.

Sure, it's technically XR rather than VR thanks to its see-through design (unless you use the light-shields to close it off more), but I found myself enjoying apps and systems that any VR headset has access to, generally at a way lower price. In fact, while its visuals are way more pixellated by comparison, it really made me think that the Meta Quest 3S still stands out as a brilliant way to get a very similar experience for far less.

Where Samsung was able to impress me a bit more was when it briefly showed me some features that most people haven't yet had a chance to try. The biggest and best was labelled as "auto spatialisation", and effectively gave the headset the ability to turn any flat video I watched into a spatial one.

The Galaxy XR can already do this with flat photos that you view, using AI processes to detect edges and create images with depth (a bit like holographs). Applying this same wizardry to videos, it was really cool to see how the headset added layers in real-time, to give a subtle but noticeable effect of depth to footage.

Ultimately, though, this still feels like a nice little bonus feature, and far from a system-seller on its own (as Apple has discovered with spatial videos on Vision Pro). That goes for much of what I experienced, to be honest – that $1800 price tag in the US is really hard to swallow just to watch spatial videos.

Ironically, the more theoretically boring part of my demo session involved a showcase of business uses for the headset, but it impressed me a little more. Seeing how it could be used to show customers of giant shipping vessels some detailed models that they could explore and interact with made sense from a sales perspective.

Medical training programs, meanwhile, were rudimentary in terms of graphics, but it's easy to see how they could be super useful to help get trainee doctors used to surgical environments and processes. That said, none of this really helps explain why a normal person might need a Galaxy XR headset.

Really, that's the chief takeaway I left my session with. Samsung's tech is undoubtedly impressive, and this was certainly one of the sharpest headsets I've ever slipped on, but while it remains this expensive, there's really no clear path to it gathering millions of users at any point.

The big challenge for Samsung, just like Apple is facing with Vision Pro, is to work out whether this is really a consumer product at all right now, or if that's still a good few years away. Otherwise, this is all looking a bit Microsoft HoloLens again, from my point of view.

Google is preparing to support the potential wave of smart glasses set to release this year, with software appearing in preview software for Android. The appearance of this software lends support to the feeling that Google will soon have Android-based XR hardware in some form.

Google's XR push is underway, first giving us the Galaxy XR headset in collaboration with Samsung and Qualcomm, with smart glasses expected to follow.

Its role in this is the Android XR software that will power such devices, with Gemini AI baked in to add all the functionality.

While Google isn't expected to build the glasses itself (that's going to fall to the likes of Samsung and XReal), it will have to support such glasses on Android phones and that's what appears to be happening now.

Uncovered and shared on Reddit (via Android Authority) was a preview for the glasses companion app. This gives us an insight into the setup process for such XR-enabled glasses, helping the user pair them, as well as revealing some of the settings.

The app provides camera controls – including how captured content is imported – as well as highlighting Gemini settings and notifications.

Within the code, it's also revealed that notifications will be paused when the glasses detect you're having a conversation, in order to avoid constant interruption. There are options for pausing notifications (not too different to Android phones), details for using an "audio only" mode (ie., not using the display on glasses with that option) and a whole lot more.

What the app really reveals is that Google is getting everything in place to support a full run of devices running Android XR. From the options in the app, it appears that some will support full Gemini functionality and some will not, some will have displays and some won't.

That reveals that there are likely to be a lot of options coming, catering to all sorts of users and all sorts of price points.

Google has already confirmed that Gentle Monster and Warby Parker are signed up to create "stylish" glasses, although the initial devices are likely to come from the likes of Samsung or Xreal's Project Aura.

Currently, it's not clear when we'll see a launch, but there's no shortage of activity coming up. First, Galaxy Unpacked (thought to be at the end of February) will reveal the Samsung Galaxy S26 devices, but could be a platform for launching Galaxy XR glasses too.

Alternatively, Mobile World Congress falls right at the start of March and is an event where Google normally has a presence. That could be a great time to launch the hardware for Android XR on a big stage.

If that doesn't happen, then we'll have to look towards Google I/O – traditionally in May – where Google could clarify all the details.

Whatever the case, it certainly looks like 2026 could be the year that face-worn tech really hits the mainstream.

CES is a time to try new things. Whatever your degree of cynicism, walking through the many halls of its many exposition centres and conferencing locations, it's hard not to have your eye caught by the odd sign or display with something new to try out.

That's my way of admitting that I've not used a lot of smart glasses in the recent past – we have other experts on the team at T3 who've tested more, but the way CES works out means you're not always in your comfort zone. So, I viewed Xgimi's launch of its new sub-brand MemoMind and its smart glasses as a great chance to see what some of the hype is about.

These smart glasses come in two initial varieties, each likely to land at a different price. The flagship's Memo One, a pair with a display in each lens; then there's the Memo Air Display, which has only a single display to keep things lighter and more affordable (not that we have confirmed pricing for either).

I tried both, but the more interesting demo was the higher-end Memo One, since it was my first time dicing with a double display like this. To get the obvious out of the way, it worked – I could pretty clearly discern the neon-green display in my eyeline, and while my being a prescription specs-wearer did make things a little harder to gauge, it looked sharp and readable enough to my eyes.

That said, it's also a small display, even with Xgimi's included controls to change its size and positioning in your eyeline. Testing it out really underlined that we're not really close to the point where you can get a genuinely bright and adaptable display in your glasses without trade-offs.

While the big player in the space, the Meta Ray-Ban Display, might be further along, I can't speak to their performance without trying them, leaving me with just MemoMind to judge.

Going on what I saw alone, though, I'm not really won over. MemoMind's designs are nice enough on paper, and when I looked at the components that made up the glasses, they looked elegant. In practice, though, the glasses themselves weren't too pretty, the lower-cost pair featuring bulbous elements on their arms looking out of place.

The Memo Air is sleeker, to be fair, but still not exactly the most fashionable set of specs out there, and I'd say it'll find it difficult to compete with the popular and recognisable frame shapes used by Meta and Ray-Ban. In fact, part of me wonders whether that hints at Xgimi's plan here.

After all, while it has a deservedly impressive reputation in the projector space, smart glasses are a very different proposition. It won't be easy to crack that emerging market, but it might make more sense if it can attract a decent brand partner with these prototypes and early versions.

To be clear, that's pure speculation on my part, but it speaks to my experience with the MemoMind glasses – they're solid in some ways, but nowhere near the level of slickness that would persuade me to regularly wear them for long periods. I strongly suspect that'll be true of most smart glasses out there, though, so it's probably fair to say this is a solid enough start from Xgimi.

A few months ago, we saw the Meta Ray-Ban Display Glasses for the first time. And, at the time, our reviewer said that they "felt like the start of something huge."

It's not hard to see why, either. Take the immensely popular Meta Ray-Ban Smart Glasses, but this time throw a display into one of the eyepieces. The result is like something from a sci-fi movie, and certainly captured the attention of the people.

Unfortunately, it's not going to get very far. As reported by Gizmodo, the brand has announced that the Display Glasses aren't going to make it outside of the USA, at least for the time being.

The full statement said, "Meta is pausing Meta Ray-Ban Display’s international expansion to the UK, France, Italy, and Canada due to an overwhelming amount of interest in the US and limited inventory. Meta will continue to focus on fulfilling orders in the US while it re-evaluates international availability.”

That's a massive shame for anyone who doesn't happen to find themselves in that country. The release suggests that the model has become a victim of its own success, though that's unlikely to quell the frustrations of those who have been patiently waiting to get their hands on one.

The only sliver of a bright side is that the wording of the statement isn't definite. The brand specifically use the word "pausing", which suggests that it's not never, just not now.

Still, Meta won't want to hang around for long. While they definitely have the benefit of being one of the first brands in this space, more and more new arrivals are cropping up every day, and will be poised to steal any possible customers who are left out in the rain by this announcement.

We saw Memomind, a new offshoot of XGIMI, arrive just yesterday, with many others readying similar devices.

If you've ever looked at getting a projector, you're probably aware of the brand XGIMI. Over the past few years, the brand has announced itself as a solid pick in that arena – and now it looks set to break into another.

At CES 2026, the brand has unveiled a new sub-brand called Memomind, which is going to act as its division for smart glasses. The brand is hitting the ground running, too, with no less than three models ready to hit shelves.

That includes the Memo One, which is the flagship of the range. That features integrated speakers and a dual-eye display, allowing for a fully interactive experience.

It's a step beyond the likes of the Meta Ray-Ban Smart Glasses, by the sounds of it, with an experience more akin to something out of science fiction. It's exactly where this space has been headed, and it's exciting to have another player in the game.

If that's too much for you, though, fear not. The second pair in the Memomind range is called the Memo Air Display, and is designed as a more stripped-back option. This only uses a single-eye display, which keeps the look and feel of traditional glasses while still providing essential, extra information.

The brand has also confirmed that a third pair of glasses are in the works, and that those are designed to feel even closer to normal glasses. There's no word on specs or availability for those, though, so we'll just have to keep our eyes peeled.

The range makes use of a multi-LLM operating system, which draws on the power of all sorts of different AI models for different tasks. That includes OpenAI, Azure and Qwen, which can be selected for use depending on their relevance to the task at hand.

Pricing is currently unconfirmed, though they're set to start from US$599 (approx. £440 / €510 / AU$889) which seems to be about the going rate for this new generation of smart glasses.

Smart glasses outfit Solos has just pulled the wraps off its latest face tech, and they sound like the most “real-world” attempt yet at making wearable AI feel genuinely useful, not just a gimmick.

Unveiled at the CES 2026 tech show in Las Vegas, the fresh model goes by the name of Solos AirGo V2 and builds on the brand’s modular AirGo platform.

However, the most notable upgrade is the glasses ' camera, which now boasts a 16MP ultra-slim setup that’s designed to capture high-res photos and Full HD video, even while you’re moving around, thanks to electronic image stabilisation (EIS).

Solos is also pitching low-power Wi-Fi for live video streaming, so you can broadcast what you’re seeing without the glasses guzzling battery like mad.

Real time AI

The other really interesting thing about this face wearable is how Solos is blending the camera with a layer of AI. Powered by SolosChat 3.0, AirGo V2 supports “multimodal” AI across image, video, audio and text.

In Layman's terms, that basically means you can ask questions about what you’re looking at, translate text, identify objects, and get quick context without pulling your phone out every 10 seconds.

Solos says it can connect with major AI systems, including ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and DeepSeek, and the interaction model sounds very much like what you'd want from a gadget like this. It supports wake-word activation, an (apparently) natural back-and-forth conversation, and automatic power-on and power-off.

On the hardware side, Solos says you can expect improved directional audio with minimal sound leakage, a swappable battery for longer days, and its SmartHinge modular design that lets you swap frame fronts depending on the look you want, the activity you’re doing, or how “camera obvious” you want the glasses to be.

The Solos AirGo V2 are available now from Solosglasses.com starting at $299, which is about £220 in the UK, though there is no word yet on when (or if) they'll be launched on this side of the pond.

More useful than gimmicky

Alongside the new glasses, Solos is making a bigger deal of its AirGo SDK ecosystem for 2026, aiming to get partners building useful stuff directly on the platform. It is less “here’s our product” and more “here’s the foundation you can build on”, which is probably where smart glasses need to go if they don't want to be known as just another novelty.

Alongside the smart glasses, Solos also previewed a new portable charging case at CES 2026 with a 1,100mAh battery. The neat thing about this is that it's been designed around the same SmartHinge modular idea, so you can swap battery temples while charging and stretch usage across multiple days. That case is due in spring/summer 2026, with pricing still to be confirmed.

Head over to Solos for more info.

While high profile tech releases are fairly common in this day and age, those which forge ahead into new frontiers are less so. For many, the slew of mixed reality and virtual reality headsets are the greatest indicator of a new era.

It has now been a few years since Apple launched its flagship in this area. The Vision Pro remains one of the most costly devices on the market, and some have suggested it doesn't quite live up to the price tag.

For me, a new piece of software from Apple might be the ticket to unlocking a real world use case for the device. That's a new open-source model, which can turn 2D photos into a 3D image.

Dubbed SHARP, the model predicts what a 3D render of the scene would look like, based on viewpoints within the image. Without getting too much into the nitty gritty, that decodes the depth of certain elements of the image, and uses them as waypoints within the 3D scene.

The big difference for Apple's technology is that it can produce a full 3D render from a single image. Other tools of this nature require hundreds of images of the same scene in a bid to produce a usable rendering.

Having a one-shot system means that users can affect many images with ease, making the process easier than ever.

When I first read about this technology, I was a little blasé. Sure, it sounds fun, but who would actually use it?

Then I saw footage of the models on an Apple Vision Pro headset, and suddenly it made sense. Images captured as a snapshot of a moment in time were suddenly able to be interacted with, and moved through.

While there are definitely limitations in the design – it won't generate beyond the borders of the image, for example – the overall effect is solid, and adds a new layer of depth to old images.

There's more choice out there than you might think when it comes to the best virtual reality (VR) headsets, so if you're looking to buy one as a gift this Christmas then this guide is here to help you make the best decision.

Which VR headset is the best choice depends on several different factors. How much do you want to spend? What sort of games do you intend to play? Which of your current devices do you want it to connect to – or do you want it to work as a standalone gadget? All this and more needs to be carefully weighed up.

While having multiple VR headsets to pick from can make choosing the right one more difficult, it does mean that there should be one that's an ideal match. Having written about tech since the earliest days of VR, these are my picks for the best three models on the market at the moment, including the specific advantages of each.

T3's top picks

Pricing

Meta

Meta seems to have got the pricing just right with the Meta Quest 3S – which is why it's my top pick. It's relatively affordable, without compromising too much in terms of performance and features. Not only is the starting price around budget smartphone level, you'll often find it on sale, and everything you need to start playing is included in the box.

HTC

The HTC Vive Focus Vision gives you heavy-duty VR gaming for a heavy-duty price. It's the most expensive option on this list by far, which is why I've labelled it as the luxury choice. It still offers value for money, because you get some really impressive and immersive VR experiences, but factor in the potential cost of a gaming PC to go alongside it as well.

Sony

The PSVR2 sits somewhere in the middle of the Meta Quest 3S and the HTC Vive Focus Vision as far as price goes – and like the Meta model, it's regularly available at a discount. We're assuming if you buy this then you already have a PlayStation 5, but there's that cost to include too – whether digital, disc or Pro version of the console.

Which wins?

There are lots of reasons why I've selected the Meta Quest 3S as the best VR headset for most people. It's not the most powerful, but it is the best value for money – with a strong ecosystem behind it and an intuitive control system. In our Meta Quest 3S review, we called it a "brilliant option" for the VR headset shopper, giving it five stars.

As well as giving you an affordable entry point into VR, it's also a breeze to set up and use, so it's perfect for beginners. As you get more confident with the controls and features, though, there's plenty more to explore beyond the basics: wireless tethering to a PC if you need it, passthrough video, movie playback support, and plenty more besides.

Then we have the HTC Vive Focus Vision, which is much more capable when you connect it to a powerful gaming PC. As we wrote in our review, it offers superb image fidelity and build quality, as well as a high level of comfort and a range of customisation options – but it is only for those with a substantial budget available.

Finally, there's the Sony PS VR2, a solid and reliable upgrade on the original PlayStation VR headset. Whether or not this is the right choice for you very much depends on one question: do you already own a PS5? If yes, it's probably the best pick; if not, it perhaps isn't. In our Sony PS VR2 review, we said it offers "incredible immersion and detail".

Other options?

If you're not quite sold on the VR headsets that I've picked as the best of the bunch, you do have other options.

The Meta Quest 3, for example, offers higher quality displays compared to the 3S model, but which will of course cost you more – while giving you the same intuitive, accessible VR experience and the same selection of apps and games.

Let's not forget the Samsung Galaxy XR headset either. It's for mixed reality, meaning virtual reality plus a passthrough layer. However, it costs a hefty amount of money, and is only available in the US at the time of writing. If you can get hold of one, and you have the budget to be able to afford it, then it's worth a look – especially as it's backed by Google and the Android ecosystem.

The Android Show is returning on 8 December and this time the focus will be on XR.

The Android Show XR Edition is going to talk about glasses, headsets and "everything in between", raising the expectation for announcements about new Android-powered smart glasses.

The show is a regular fixture on the Android Developers YouTube channel, designed to bring app makers up to speed on what's happening in the Android space. In the past, we've seen this used for a complete introduction to Android 16 prior to the Google I/O and we're hoping that this latest version is going to have some meat to it.

Samsung announced the first Android XR device – the Samsung Galaxy XR – in October, but there's been little news on the progress of XR's other dimension, smart glasses.

There have been no shortage of rumours about them, with Samsung expected to launch Galaxy Glass, but there's also the suggestion that Google will have its own device, too.

There's talk of glasses with a display and those without, as the Android ecosystem gears up to put a serious challenge to Meta's Ray-Ban and Oakley glasses.

Thankfully, with the trailer for this next iteration of The Android Show, we not only have the mention of "glasses" in the description, but a little dancing Android wearing glasses too. There's no avoiding that there is going to be some definitive glasses chat here, at last.

It's unlikely that this will see a major product announcement, but there's likely to be enough information to paint a good picture of what XR looks like in the near future for Android. As we roll through the Christmas period, it's likely that some launches will pause, but with the annual CES – Consumer Electronics Show – in Las Vegas in January, followed by Mobile World Congress in Barcelona in March, there are plenty of opportunities for more hardware to see the light of day.

We do know that this instalment of The Android Show will talk about Gemini. With Google expanding the reach of Gemini over the past weeks, we're expecting Gemini to be front and centre in display-free glasses, offering that advanced understanding and audio feedback that we all know from Android phones already.

Meta has dominated smart glasses for so long – it really is time that there's opposition from a major player, as well the boutique options from the likes of Even Realties.

The question is whether Android XR has the brand appeal that Ray-Ban has put behind Meta's glasses to make them so popular.

Alongside its new Steam Machine and controller, Valve recently also announced a new Steam Frame VR headset – and that's excited a fair few thanks technologies like foveated streaming and eye tracking.

However, there's already a PS5 and PC compatible headset out there with similar tech (and more), plus 100s of games ready to play right now. And it just so happens to have had a massive price drop for Black Friday.

The Sony PlayStation VR2 (PSVR2, for short) is an extremely impressive piece of gaming kit – even more so since Sony expanded support for PC games too – and it has hit under £300 / $300 for a limited time. That's a drop of up to 25%.

It's available at those prices in the UK and US from a number of retailers – including Amazon, Very and Target.

The PSVR2 was originally designed for use with a PS5 (and subsequently PS5 Pro). However, after launch Sony added the ability to connect it to a gaming PC, via a separate adapter.

This enables play for hundreds of VR games and apps on Steam.

Thankfully, Amazon also has a deal on the PC adapter in the UK, while a third-party version is available in the Black Friday sales in the US, too.

Of course, if you want to make the most of the PSVR2 headset, we thoroughly recommend the PS5 Pro – which has certain enhancements to particular VR games.

Thankfully, that's also on offer for Black Friday – with a big slice off the usual price.

Here are some of the best deals available today.

New details about Samsung's in-development smart glasses have leaked, telling us a little more about the forthcoming device that's going to rival Meta's stranglehold on the smart glasses segment.

The Samsung smart glasses are expected to launch under the Galaxy Glasses name and are reported by GalaxyClub to carry the model number SM-O200P. The format of this model number puts it into a different category to the Galaxy XR headset, which is SM-I610.

It has previously been confirmed that Samsung is working with Warby Parker and Gentle Monster on its smart glasses project, suggesting that it is taking an approach similar to Meta and looking to produce branded products. Meta has both Ray-Ban and Oakley smart glasses.

Building on the picture that we have of the new glasses, it's said that they will feature transition lenses, which adjust the colour based on light levels. This sounds like a great feature, meaning users don't have to choose between a clear glass model or one with tinted lenses – it could also enhance the experience if they feature a projected display, allowing that to remain visible in brighter conditions.

Elsewhere, they will feature a camera – the gateway to live information delivered via AI and for ad hoc image and video capture – while there will be no mobile connection.

That means that they will need to be connected to the smartphone in your pocket, which isn't a surprise. It's likely to be the phone that does a lot of the heavy lifting in AI processing terms.

We've previously heard that Samsung could launch glasses without a display, to rival the original Ray-Ban Meta models, sticking to the audio feedback model. This report also suggested that we'd see these devices launch in 2026.

What's not clear is whether Samsung's plans include working with Google to launch a smart glasses product, or whether the company is going solo on the project. Having launched the Galaxy XR – in partnership with Google and Qualcomm – it's expected that Samsung will provide the hardware design for some sort of glasses product with Google, but currently, firm plans are unknown.

When might Samsung's smart glasses launch?

That's the big question. With the Galaxy XR out in the wild, it's expected that Galaxy Glasses (if that's the launch name), while now be a higher priority. The trademark for that has been registered for over two years, according to GalaxyClub.

The site speculates that the launch will be focused on the US initially, but it's highly likely that Korea will be a core focus too. Ultimately, it's expected that Samsung will make these available globally.

As for launch timescales, there are plenty of opportunities coming up. Rumours have said that Galaxy Z TriFold might be announced on 5 December and that's an opportunity for Samsung to showcase another groundbreaking device.

Beyond that, Samsung will be at CES 2026 and while this normally focuses on TV and audio products, it's another opportunity. Then there's Galaxy Unpacked – rumoured to take place on 25 February, just before Mobile World Congress 2026.

That's a huge range of opportunities for Samsung to tease, announce, or show off its new hardware.

VR headsets come in all shapes and sizes, and increasingly it feels like Meta's focus is more on its smart glasses than its traditional headsets, but that might be because it did so much R&D to get the Quest lineup to the comfortable place it's now in already. Still, that stability from Meta means that its headsets are now ideal candidates for occasionally impactful sales.

Right now, for instance, you can grab its most affordable Quest 3 headset, the Quest 3S, for £61 less than its usual price at Argos. It's not labelled as a Black Friday deal right now, but the timing can't be a coincidence, given that huge sales event is right around the corner.

I reviewed the Quest 3S near the start of 2025, and found it a hugely impressive package, and definitely one that would be even more impressive if it was the first VR headset you'd tried. After all, there's no pretending that the Quest 3 doesn't have superior specs (especially in terms of its lenses).

The Quest 3 is a chunk more expensive, though, and this sort of discount makes the Quest 3S look even more attractive. After all, it's powerful enough to run a wide range of games and experiences completely without wires, but can also be hooked up to a more capable gaming PC for tethered play if you like.

I'm super curious about what price Valve is going to slap on its upcoming Steam Frame headset, which will likely rival Meta on a bunch of fronts, but since we don't even know that yet and it won't arrive before early 2026, it seems to me like the Quest 3S remains a terrific option for those in the market for one of the best VR headsets going.

It's the best choice out there for most people, frankly, because of that one simple factor: price.

When Valve makes hardware announcements, it's fair to say the whole world pays attention – especially after the superb success that the Steam Deck has brought with it in recent years. Still, the nature of its shotgun spread of announcements this past week almost made it hard to figure out which bit was most interesting.

The Steam Machine is a headline-grabber, that's for sure, and it looks like the biggest swing Valve's making this time around, but the more I think about it, the more the Steam Frame is the bit of hardware I most want to add to my setup. It's not just the excellent specs that Valve has unveiled, or the pancake lenses that help make it lightweight and thin.

Nor is it the new controllers, or the apparently extremely comfortable design of the headset, that ensures its weight doesn't rest on any one part of your head too heavily. Rather, it's a little bit of kit that comes with the headset, which could change a lot about tethered VR for most of us.

The Steam Frame will come with a little USB-A dongle to plug into your desktop PC (or Steam Machine), and change a lot of things about the wireless VR experience. Right now, for wireless tethered play from your PC, whether on a Meta Quest headset or some competitor, you basically need a rock solid home network.

This is because all the data required is streamed over that home Wi-Fi network, and any drop-out or latency can cause immediate visual glitching and lag. It's a situation that leaves wired play feeling like the best option for many people, which isn't all that futuristic-feeling, but Valve's doing things differently.

Its dongle is exclusively for the audio and visual data that the headset needs, transmitted to it on its own network, and avoiding the traffic of your home Wi-Fi. Some data will still be transmitted over the latter, but the Steam Frame will be far less reliant on it – apparently eliminating the potential lag and artefacting almost completely in the right conditions.

That's huge, and completely knocks Meta's Quest systems (or at least the affordable ones) out of the game, in my view – being able to use a wireless system that plays just like a wired one is what VR users have been dreaming of for ages.

Valve's got other clever tricks up its sleeve, too, like a new foveated streaming system that only makes the area you're looking at truly sharp, freeing up performance headroom by leaving the rest fuzzier. It's apparently impossible to catch out, and a huge deal for developing high-quality VR experiences that don't need supercomputers to power them.

Really, though, that sort of technical wizardry won't matter to most people – it's all about how slick and smooth the experience is in real-world scenarios. It's almost a shock to me that mainstream headsets from the likes of Meta haven't already shipped with this sort of dongle as standard before.

The thinking is clearly that Meta considers its best sales case for the Quest lineup to be untethered play, where the headset is standalone. That works well, and there's a reason the Steam Frame will support it too, but tethered play remains where you'll get the most impressive experiences, most people would agree.

So, it's very possible that Valve just struck Meta with something of a killing blow for at least certain types of VR enthusiasts. I know I'm more excited about the Steam Frame than I have been for basically any VR headset launched in the last couple of years, and I can't wait to get my hands on it sometime in 2026.

You might not have heard of the brand before, but Even Realities has been making smart glasses with displays long before Ray-Ban and Meta.

It launched the Even G1 glasses in the summer of 2024, and while they haven't quite made as big a splash as the Ray-Ban pair, there's something refreshing about a smaller, neater brand offering a serious contender.

And now we have the second generation pair – the Even G2 Display Smart Glasses – and things have really gone up a notch. Not only are they a touch lighter and more comfortable, you can pair them with another new product – the Even R1 Smart Ring – for gesture controls.

I got to test both for a few days prior to the official launch to find out how they work, and how they compare to Meta Ray-Ban's solution (having also tested those). This isn't a full review by any stretch, as I've opted to wait for a prescriptive pair and the final build of the updated iPhone and Android app, but these are my initial impressions.

The lightest smart glasses around?

The first thing I noticed is just how light the Even G2 glasses are. Just 36g, they are as light and comfortable as my own everyday reading glasses – a little bulkier at the rear for the battery, but very well balanced.

This is vital as Even Realities is coming at the market from a different angle to Meta, Ray-Ban and Google. It can be said that these are glasses first and smart second – they are designed to be worn every day, and predominantly by those needing glasses.

For that reason, Even is investing heavily in its own lenses factory and promises a prescriptive range of -12 to +12 diopters. That's the widest optical range of any smart glasses manufacturer. The prescription lens fits behind the smart layer, and so is barely even noticeable. And with a display in each lens (rather than the one in the Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses), you also get a clear AR image when called upon – with 3D effects in some instances.

I tested the "panto" model, but there is also a rectangular version. And mine were grey, although you can get them in brown and green too.

The frame is made from a magnesium alloy, which is solid and strong but also very light, while the arms are made from titanium. Even has also discovered a way of feeding the cable for each battery inside the metal on each arm – the G1 had a rubber coating to hide it.

Speaking of which, the batteries allow for two days of use before charging, but I ended up charging the pair each night by just putting them into the supplied case before sleep.

How the Even G2 Display Smart Glasses work

The Even G2 pair use micro-LED projection and gradient waveguide technology to beam images onto digitally surfaced lenses. This is similar to other smart glasses, including the Meta Ray-Ban Display, but you get two projections in this case – one for each eye.

That forms a large heads-up display when on. It's not full colour – you get a green image – but it is very readable and can be adjusted for brightness.

There are some limitations, of course. The Even G2 glasses do not contain a camera or speakers. There is a microphone in the frame for voice recognition, but this is mainly a phone-powered experience and centred on professional activities.

The dedicated iPhone and Android app controls all the information you'll see on the glasses – which appears front and centre. And its tools are arguably limited when compared to rival systems.

But they are also useful – such as live translation between 29 different languages, and a navigation heads-up that directs you to your destination. You can also assign which notifications you want to pop up – such as phone messages and WhatsApp – and there's a calendar and schedule function to keep abreast of your daily actions.

My favourite option is the teleprompter. Having been a TV presenter in my shady past, I could have done with this, as it will take a script stored on your phone and display the words at a comfortable distance for you to read out. As you talk, the glasses hear where you are in the script and scroll through the lines responsively.

It might not be useful for everyone, but is a great example of where smart glasses can genuinely help with a usually daunting task, rather than just offer gimmicks.

Even has also started to include AI functions in its software, but the application was at a very early beta stage during my initial testing, so I'll come back to that when I review them in full.

The introduction of the Even R1 Smart Ring

One major new element that goes along with the G2 glasses (or can be used on its own) is the Even R1 Smart Ring. The optional device is a zirconia ceramic coated stainless steel ring that also links with the iPhone and Android app, and will gather fitness and sleep data, much like others on the market.

However, it also comes with a small section on the side that responds to touch. So, when you tap or swipe it, you can scroll through the menus and select functions in the glasses too.

The Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses have a neural band you wear around your wrist, but I found the ring allows for more discrete gesture control – as you just need to use your thumb against your forefinger. And as its a smart ring with its own biometric sensors, it has additional uses.

As with all smart rings, you do need to make sure you order the right size though, as I found the operation fiddly as the one I tested was a little too big – it kept slipping around a tad, so accurately tapping the touch panel each time was literally hit and miss.

My first impressions and, importantly, the price

In all honesty, I need to test the glasses a fair amount longer to get the full experience, but am impressed enough for now. The Even G2 Display Smart Glasses don't quite have the initial wow factor of the Meta Ray-Ban Display, with its full-colour display, camera and built-in speakers, but I could see myself preferring to wear these daily.

The Ray-Bans are chunky and fun, but Even's solution is more comfortable for sure. And while the functionality seems more limited, it distills the experience down to the essentials – especially for professionals.

The company has also revealed that it will soon invite external developers to create additional experiences, apps and tools for its smart glasses – the original G1 too – and so this could build into something far bigger in the future.

For now, these seem a worthwhile consideration for those looking for glasses with smart features, rather than more gimmicky pair that might be worn only occasionally.

Even Realities prices them from £599 / €699 a pair, with the Even R1 Smart Ring weighing in at an extra £239 / €269. That does make the combined pairing more expensive than Meta and Ray-Ban's equivalent (when it arrives in the UK and Europe next year).

However, as a limited-time launch incentive, you'll get the smart ring for half-price if you order a non-prescriptive pair of G2 smart glasses. And it's also important to note, you don't actually need the ring for the glasses to work with most functionality, and vice versa.

Both the Even G2 Display Smart Glasses and Even R1 Smart Ring are available globally now.

Smart glasses have leapt into the public consciousness over the past couple of years, mainly fuelled by Ray-Ban Meta, but now with added impetus thanks to Google's Android XR plans.

Most recently that gave us the Samsung Galaxy XR, but in the world of smart glasses, Google's partnership with Magic Leap has now given us a prototype too.

Magic Leap is a familiar name, best known for creating a lot of hype around holographic objects in the early years, but now working on something called waveguide optics.

This is how its partnership with Google comes together in AR glasses, with Google developing the software experiences and AI – and using its Raxium microLED light engine as the source – and Magic Leap focused on bringing that image to life in a comfortable way.

“What makes this prototype stand out is how natural it feels to look through,” commented Shahram Izadi, VP of Google XR. That comes down to Magic Leap's involvement – and sets up these smart glasses as a natural rival to the Meta Ray-Ban Display pair that were recently launched in the US. Those also have a discreet display formed by waveguides.

In a press release, Magic Leap outlines that it's working with more partners than just Google, so that "natural" feel is likely to be something we see from other brands too and there's no indicator that what we see here is anything other than a prototype.

The new "AI glasses" were shown off at FII 9 (Future Investment Initiative), which just took place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and a little like the unveiling of the Samsung tri-fold phone recently, this isn't a consumer release. It's just showing off the tech at this stage.

"Magic Leap’s precision in optics and waveguide design gives the display a level of clarity and stability that’s rare in AR today," said Izadi, high praise for the performance of the new AI glasses.

As well as showing off this prototype, which can blend real and virtual information, Magic Leap and Google have confirmed a three-year extension to their collaboration agreement, with Magic Leap describing itself as an "AR ecosystem partner".

While little else is said about the experience or the hardware involved, it's possible to glimpse the display on the glass during the presentation. This happens when it catches the light [as seen above]. Otherwise, the glasses look like fairly standard heavy-frame glasses.

We'll have to wait and see where this heads, but we know that Samsung and Google are working a consumer release for AI glasses, while Gentle Monster and Warby Parker were confirmed as partners off the back of Google I/O earlier in the year.

Overnight, Korean tech giants, Samsung, finally launched a long-awaited device. Dubbed the Samsung Galaxy XR headset, the model marks the brand's first move into the mixed reality headset space, and sees it go toe-to-toe with the Apple Vision Pro.

It makes a good case for itself, too, with a substantially lower price tag than Apple's equivalent offering, which should make it more appealing to the general public. The headset is currently only available in the USA and South Korea, though we're hoping it comes further afield in due course.

But it wasn't the only piece of exciting news. The final moments of the presentation were utilised to offer insight into the brand's work in the smart glasses space.

While very little was actually confirmed, the speaker did note that Samsung would be working with both Warby Parker and Gentle Monster on the project. For the unaware, those are two eyewear manufacturers, and are the same two partners noted by Google at its showcase earlier this year.

Personally, I think that's a really smart move from Samsung. Tech is one half of the battle, but something you wear needs to be stylish and fashionable if it's really going to work.

It's a big part of the reason why I think Meta has been so successful in its Ray-Ban collaboration. Users aren't seeing a tech product, they see a pair of fashionable glasses with a cool, technological twist and that's much more palatable for the masses.

The end sequence shows a dramatized idea of what those smart glasses could offer. That includes overlays in the airport which point you towards the right gate for your departure, or at a football match, to give you a virtual scoreboard and live player data.

There's no word on when this is coming, but it certainly looks like an interesting development. We'll be keeping a close eye on this one.