IT Home(IT之家)On May 20th, it was reported that Google showcased the next-generation product at the 2026 Google Developers Conference in advance.AndroidXR Smart Glasses, this product is expected to bring more convenience to people's daily lives. For users who have been following Google-related developments for over a decade, seeing this release is bound to evoke a sense of nostalgia. As early as 13 years ago at Google's developer conference, Google first showcased a smart glasses-related solution. Even though the general public has long since forgotten.AndroidThe business leader still remembers this vividly and is also grateful for the lessons learned from the project back then.

Samir Samat, President of Google's Android ecosystem, accepted media interviews after yesterday's 2026 Google Developers Conference. When talking about the brand new Android XR device unveiled at this conference, he frankly admitted that Google has learned a lot of experience from the failed Google Glass project in the past decade.

This executive stated that Google Glass ultimately failed to achieve widespread commercial success, bringing the biggest lesson that stylish design is far more important than technological appeal. Sarmat said, "I learned a lot from this. The most important lesson I learned is that style comes first, and technology comes second."

Today, the smart glasses launched by Meta in collaboration with Ray-Ban and Oakley have been a great success, also proving this point. According to industry analysts, Meta's smart glasses have sold over 7 million units since their launch in 2023.

Sarmat's remarks also highlight the core reason behind Google partnering with Warby Parker and Gentle Monster, among other well-known eyewear brands, to create a voice-controlled version of Android XR glasses. He emphasized that practical experience and aesthetic appearance are key factors in the success of consumer electronics products, and once these two elements are missing, they are highly likely to face consumer resistance.

He also mentioned that Samsung has done an excellent job in integrating fashion design with cutting-edge technology. Currently, there is still very little information available about the internal configurations of the two new glasses, only confirming that they are both equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon augmented reality platform. These two smart glasses are expected to be officially launched this fall.

The first-generation Google Glass was officially launched in 2013, but it never reached the popularity Google had hoped for due to multiple factors. At that time, Android phones were not as widespread as they are today, and more importantly, the product had no unique practical advantages—it was simply an additional display placed in front of the user's eyes. Adding to this, the high price of $1,500 (IT Home note: approximately 10,231 yuan RMB at current exchange rates) deterred many potential consumers who originally had an interest. Despite the poor market response, Google still launched an enterprise-focused iteration of the device in 2017, but it ultimately met a similar fate.

Now, Google plans to redeem itself with the Gemini large model, with the model handling most of the core functions of the device. At the 2026 Google Developers Conference, Google also introduced the collaborative mode of the new smart glasses and other devices like the Pixel Watch.

For smart glasses equipped with a display, Google has more ambitious plans: a lightweight Android system specifically tailored for the glasses, enabling them to handle some phone functions rather than just simply casting application content. However, this screen-equipped version of smart glasses won't be released until next year.

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