Google's Android XR smart glasses will support iOS, expanding reach beyond Android users

Having Android XR Glasses Support iOS Might Be Their Best Feature

Expertise Health and wellness tech, meal kits, home and kitchen tech, food, mental health Thanks to partnerships with Samsung and eyewear brands Warby Parker and Gentle Monster, Android XR intelligent eyewear will be available this fall, as announced during Tuesday's Google I/O developer conference. The audio glasses offer in-ear assistance, while displays within the glasses show you the information you seek right on your lenses. But despite those notable partnerships and high-tech features, what caught my attention most is this eyewear's compatibility. "The world's leading electronics company, Samsung, is building innovative new devices and experiences that set the bar for the whole industry, and we've been working to bring the best of Google to these glasses as well," said Shahram Izadi, vice president of XR at Google, during the Google I/O keynote. "And yes, they're going to pair with both Android and iOS devices." In other words, an Android phone won't be required for these Android XR glasses, expanding the intended user base for this eyewear to iPhone owners. While smart glasses have been compatible with iOS devices, some haven't fully enabled all their features in their paired iPhone apps. Moreover, Google and Samsung's devices don't always play well with Apple's; for instance, smartwatches like the recent Galaxy Watches and Pixel Watches won't pair with iPhones at all. Since Android XR heavily relies on Gemini, Google's AI assistant, that could reduce the glasses' capabilities when paired with an iOS interface, as Apple relies on its own AI called Apple Intelligence. "Experientially, the full Gemini layer across Android can command it to do a lot," said Scott Stein, CNET's smart glasses expert. "On iPhones, Apple locks that down, and Gemini can't command iOS beyond the Gemini app. So I expect it'll be more like how Meta glasses work. However, the XR Android glasses will connect to multiple Google apps using Gemini as the bridge, even on iOS, it seems." Meta glasses use Meta AI and can only access features permitted through the Meta AI iOS app. That means, when you're wearing Meta glasses, you can't use Siri or a native iOS app like iMessages, and are limited to WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. Only time will tell whether this experience will be reflected when the Android XR intelligent eyewear is paired with iOS on the Gemini app. That time will come when the glasses are released this fall.

Google's new AI glasses are coming. And yes, they'll work with your iPhone | Stuff

Google's first Android XR smart glasses arrive this autumn with Gemini AI, cameras, live translation, and hands-free app control Not content with smartphones, Google is officially getting back into smart glasses - and this time it's bringing Samsung, Gemini AI, and iPhone support along for the ride. At Google I/O 2026, the tech giant confirmed that the first Android XR intelligent eyewear products will launch later this year. Unlike the ill-fated Google Glass from more than a decade ago, these are far closer in concept to Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses - meaning cameras, microphones, speakers, and AI features built into frames you might actually want to wear in public. The first models are audio-focused smart glasses without built-in displays, though Google has already teased future versions with lens-based visuals. Gemini AI is accessed through voice commands or touch controls on the frame itself. Google says you'll be able to ask Gemini questions about the world around you, get turn-by-turn walking directions, send texts, take photos, translate speech in real time, and even interact with apps like Uber, DoorDash, and Mondly without touching your phone. Crucially, the glasses will work with both Android phones and iPhones. Style clearly matters this time around, too. Google is partnering with Gentle Monster and Warby Parker for the launch collections, while Android XR itself is being developed alongside Samsung and Qualcomm. The feature list sounds extremely familiar if you've been following Meta's smart glasses push. Google's version can snap photos and videos, play music through open-ear speakers, summarise messages, and offer live language translation. There's also a heavy focus on Gemini AI handling multi-step tasks in the background, like preparing a coffee order while your phone stays in your pocket. One particularly Google-y feature involves AI photo editing directly from the glasses. During I/O, the company demonstrated its Nano Banana image editing tools to automatically alter photos with commands like adding funny hats to people in a picture. How often you'd use such a feature, though, remains to be seen. Unfortunately, Google hasn't revealed pricing, battery life, camera quality, or exact launch dates beyond "this fall". And while the company is teasing future display glasses with information projected into the lens itself, those aren't arriving yet.

Google Launches Android XR Smart Glasses with Gemini AI Support

Google has unveiled its first Android XR smart glasses at I/O 2026, marking the company's latest push into wearable technology. Developed with eyewear brands Gentle Monster and Warby Parker, the glasses bring Gemini-powered voice assistance into lightweight frames designed for daily use. The new model has been advertised as an artificial intelligence companion that would work primarily through voice communication, navigation, and immediate assistance, without requiring immersion in augmented reality screens.