Google’s eyewear partners can’t keep a lid on its smart glasses plans

Gentle Monster has announced that its Android XR smart glasses will launch in December, with pre-orders opening on 12 November. The dates matter because Google and its partners are preparing a new attempt to compete with Meta’s smart glasses, while Google has yet to confirm the schedule itself.

The glasses are described as display-free and audio-first, with access to Google’s Gemini AI. Gentle Monster’s announcement included a teaser for a short film directed by Jonathan Glazer and starring Joaquin Phoenix, due in full in mid-November. Warby Parker also appeared to reveal the same pre-order date, and Samsung is another partner in the project.