Google today announced Android XR audio glasses called Intelligent Eyewear that notably support iOS with Made for iPhone certification.
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Intelligent Eyewear is made by Samsung with frame designs from Gentle Monster and Warby Parker. There are 30 unique designs in total, and the frames weigh 40-44 grams with a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera.
Google’s Glasses companion client for iOS handles compute, including HDR processing, and saves images and videos (up to 90 seconds) to Apple Photos. The Made for iPhone certification comes into play for Wi-Fi Aware connectivity that allows for fast media transfers.
On the privacy front, there is a blinking white indicator light when you use the camera to take pictures or record clips that are saved to your library. If the light is covered or disabled, the glasses will stop recording, with Android XR running a hardware check when charging.
Gemini commands that use the camera, like visual search or translation, don’t trigger the light because those photos or videos are not saved anywhere, including Gemini History. Before that media reaches the cloud, Google redacts faces from video feeds and filters out bystander voices. This processing is done by the companion app. Additionally, that media isn’t used to train AI models or target ads.
Other key specifications include four microphones and two open-ear speakers. Besides voice commands with the “Hey Gemini” hotword, there is a touchpad that accepts taps and swipes. A physical on/off switch lets you wear Intelligent Eyewear as regular glasses.
On iOS, Gemini can make calls, send 1:1 messages (including, and receive notifications
Battery life is rated at nine hours on a single charge, while there’s a charging case that stores seven charges. Features include turn-by-turn Google Maps directions and real-time translation. On the streaming front, there’s support for Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube Music, and Audible.
Google’s Android XR glasses require an iPhone 13 Pro or newer.
Warby Parker Intelligent Eyewear is available in three frame designs, starting at $395 for optical and sun styles. Gentle Monster Intelligent Eyewear is available in the US and South Korea from $449.
Pre-orders open today with retail availability on December 10.
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