After Foldables, Wearables Take Center Stage... Samsung Set to Launch Its First Smart Glasses

Samsung Unveils 'Intelligent Eyewear' at Unpacked

Showcases Four Designs, Highlights 'Privacy Protection'

Two New Watches Feature Enhanced Outdoor Capabilities and Wearing Comfort

On July 22 (local time), Samsung Electronics solidified its position in the AI wearable market at 'Galaxy Unpacked 2026,' held at Old Billingsgate in London, UK. The company announced its ambition not only to lead the foldable market, but also to expand the Galaxy AI ecosystem experience, previously centered on smartphones, to wearable devices. The first smart glasses jointly developed with Google, called 'Intelligent Eyewear,' were clearly at the center of attention.

Samsung Electronics - Google's Intelligent Eyewear. New designs from Gentle Monster (left) and Warby Parker. Provided by Samsung Electronics

Additional Designs Unveiled in Collaboration with Gentle Monster and Warby Parker... Illegal Recording Blocked

Intelligent Eyewear has been designed so that users can enjoy advanced AI experiences in their daily lives without taking out their smartphones. It runs on the Android extended reality (XR) platform and was first unveiled by Google at its annual developer event in May. The attached microphone and camera on the glasses can understand the user's situation in real-time, enabling various convenient functions to be performed solely via voice commands.

On this day, Samsung Electronics additionally unveiled designs in collaboration with global eyewear brands Gentle Monster and Warby Parker. These new designs consider users' varying preferences and facial shapes (such as face and head shape), with an emphasis on optimizing weight, thickness, balance, and durability. The company also devoted attention to the frame structure and internal component arrangement to ensure there is no discomfort where the frames meet the forehead or ears. The battery allows up to 9 hours of use on a single charge, and with the charging case, it can be recharged up to seven additional times.

New Design of Samsung Electronics-Google's Intelligent Eyewear 'Gentle Monster'. Provided by Samsung Electronics

Regarding Gentle Monster, the previously released model had an oval lens with black horn rims; in this edition, the lens size has been increased and additional angles have been added to the bottom. Warby Parker, which previously showcased a teal frame, presented a new design with a deep brown color and a subtle brow line, creating a harmonious appearance. Similarly, the lower edge of the lens is accentuated with sharper angles. In total, four types of Intelligent Eyewear were exhibited at the event, but they could not be worn — only handled.

One of the key features of Samsung Electronics’ Intelligent Eyewear is that recording is only possible while wearing the device, and if the camera is covered, the sensor detects it, stops recording, and deletes the data. Samsung Electronics explained that this feature was implemented to completely block illegal recording — a side effect often cited with smart glasses — and to protect privacy. Additionally, the corners of the device light up when ambient sounds are being heard.

Samsung Electronics and Google's Intelligent Eyewear 'Warby Parker' New Design. Provided by Samsung Electronics

Samsung Electronics plans to release its first smart glasses within this year. With Meta currently accounting for about 80% of the global smart glasses market, there is growing interest in whether the collaboration between Samsung Electronics and Google could shift market dynamics.

Choi Wonjoon, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Mobile eXperience (MX) business at Samsung Electronics, stated, "In the era of agentic AI, it is important to provide a mobile experience that understands the user's intent and situation, seamlessly connecting them to necessary functions in a more intuitive way." He added, "Intelligent Eyewear will become a new touchpoint that naturally recognizes daily-life contexts and delivers a more personalized AI experience."

'Galaxy Watch 9' (left) and 'Galaxy Watch Ultra 2'. Provided by Samsung Electronics

Galaxy Watch, a Companion on Your Wrist for a Healthier Everyday Life

The 'Galaxy Watch Ultra2' and 'Galaxy Watch9' have improved comfort and emerged as core personalized healthcare devices. By introducing additional health-management features related to sleep, activity, cardiovascular health, and recovery, these watches help users more easily notice subtle physical changes and improve their health habits — even when such changes might otherwise go unnoticed.

Looking at the main specifications, the Watch Ultra2 features a large 800mAh battery — a 35% increase over the previous version — along with the Snapdragon Wear Elite platform, boosting processing performance, speed, and GPS tracking accuracy. The watch body has been slimmed down to 10.7mm. For the first time in the Galaxy Watch lineup, the device supports up to 5,000 nits of brightness. According to Samsung Electronics, the Ultra2 is suitable for specialized outdoor sports environments such as trail running and diving.

The Watch9 is designed as a daily companion for those seeking comprehensive health management, enabling health tracking simply by being worn on the wrist. The previous "cushion design," where a circular display is encased in a rectangular body, has been retained. The battery has been improved by 20% to 390mAh, allowing for extended monitoring even during sleep. The maximum display brightness is 3,000 nits.

The Watch Ultra2 comes in a single 47mm size in two colors: Titanium Silver and Titanium Gray. The Watch9 is available in two sizes, 40mm and 44mm — the 40mm model comes in Cream and Graphite, and the 44mm model is available in Silver and Graphite. The price for the Ultra2 47mm LTE model is set at 969,100 won, while the Watch9 ranges from 499,000 won to 569,800 won depending on Bluetooth functionality.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.