Why 2025 Is the Year of the Smart Glasses

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I predict that 2025 will be the year smart glasses break big.

The technology is finally advanced enough for tech spectacles to be useful instead of gimmicky; the general public knows what they are; and the new generation of smart glasses look like glasses instead of face computers. We've come a long way since Google Glass.

The big tech companies clearly agree, because everyone’s making them: Meta wants to whisper AI in your ear. Google and Snap are joining the fray. Rumors are flying that Samsung and Apple are developing smart glasses. With so many styles, features, and price points hitting the market, it can be overwhelming to figure out what kind of glasses are right for you. Luckily, you don't have to be a tech expert to make a smart choice.

What smart glasses can do

The term “smart glasses” is a little too broad to be useful. It's used for everything from AI-powered sunglasses to augmented reality displays to glasses that help you see better, so before you buy, it’s worth asking: What exactly do you want your smart glasses to do?

Roughly speaking, smart glasses exist across these categories, although most straddle a few classifications:

• Audio-first: These are basically earbuds embedded in glasses. They usually look like "normal" glasses, and they're designed to play music, take calls, and often to let you talk to an AI assistant. They don’t have screens or AR overlays.

• Camera-first: These are like a lighter GoPro. They're for people who want to capture life on the fly, either through still images or videos. Some support live-streaming.

• AR-first: Glasses designed for AR (augmented reality) display digital information like directions, messages, video or even 3D animations directly in your field of view.

• Vision-first: These are the most future-looking smart glasses. Their purpose isn't to let you listen to podcasts, but to improve your vision. There aren't any vision-first smart glasses on the market in the U.S., but the future could hold cyborg-style vision improvements like automatic zoom, or automatically adjusting bifocals.

So those are the basics. Here's the gear:

Oakley Meta HSTN

These just-announced smart glasses are Meta's follow-up to its mega-successful line of Ray-Ban smart glasses. Oakley HSTNs do the same things Ray-Ban Metas do—play audio, take photos and videos, allow conversations with Meta's AI agent, and provide real-time language translation—but they do some things better. Oakley smart glasses shoot 3K video compared to Ray-Bans' 1080p, and the eight-hour battery life is twice as long as Meta's. Oakley Metas retail for $399 and you'll be able to pre-order them on July 11.

Xreal One Pro

XReal's One Pro smart glasses augment your reality so you can do things like watch a movie from inside your eyeglasses or answer your email on a virtual screen. I was generally impressed with the Xreal Pro line of glasses, and the company's just-released One Pro glasses seem even better. Improvements include an onboard "Self-Developed Spatial Computing Chip," so there's no need for a separate Android device for them to work, and a wider field-of-view for better AR. Xreal Pro One glasses retail for $649.00 and are available now.

Viture Pro XR Glasses

Designed more for viewing pictures and video than hardcore AR or VR, Viture Pro XR Glasses work as a display for your PC, iPhone or Android device, Steam Deck, Switch 2, and more. The Pro XR displays the equivalent of a 135-inch screen at a distance of 9.8 feet at 1080p. The images are clear and bright, and it's all packed inside a cool-looking pair of shades. Viture Pro XR Glasses are available now for $499.00.

Snap Specs

Snapchat's smart glasses have come a long way since the first line was released in 2016. Instead of a simple glasses-mounted camera, Snap Specs are a full, standalone AR unit packed in a pair of (clunky-looking) glasses. They come with AI, and allow you to do things like play AR games, share 3D space with others, and project an OS on the palm of your hand. I tried them out briefly at the Augmented World Expo 2025 and they're impressive and easy to use; I can't wait to get a pair. Snap Specs are planned for a 2026 release. No price has been announced.

Chamelo Aura

I'm not sure Chamelo's Aura sunglasses even count as "smart glasses," but they're so cool, I had to include them. They don't have AI, a camera, speakers, or an in-lens display, but the lenses change between four colors instantly with a click, so you can choose the best tint for light conditions, coordinate your outfits, and impress your friends with your slick glasses. Aura sunglasses retail for $365 and are available now.

Google Android XR Glasses

Thankfully, Google seems to have put the Google Glass fiasco behind it and is planning to release a pair of Android-powered smart glasses with a camera, Gemini AI support, and an optional see-through micro-display that will let you project info—messages, navigation, and real-time translation—right onto your lenses. Plus, Google has partnered with Warby Parker and Gentle Monster so they won't look dorky. Google Android XR Glasses are expected to be available in 2025-2026.

Samsung's Project HAEAN

Samsung’s upcoming smart glasses are still under wraps, but the rumors out there are intriguing. Unlike Samsung project Moohan experiment, HAEAN (if real) isn't a big VR helmet. It's a pair of glasses you could wear in public and not feel like a goof. They’re rumored to be powered by Samsung’s in-house XR chip and integrated with Galaxy AI, presumably with the end-goal of a voice and AI-centric wearable with a focus on comfort and wearability.

Apple Glass

Nothing has been announced officially, but the tech rumor mill is churning with Apple's supposed plan to release a line of smart glasses. If what's been reported in various sources is true, Apple Glass will be like Meta's smart glasses, but better. Maybe better just because they say "Apple" on them, but maybe actually better. If these actually exist, the rumor is they'll come out in 2026.

IXI Autofocus Smart Glasses

It's too early to tell whether this Finnish start-up's claims will turn into vapor, but IXI has recently raised $36.5 million from investors to develop smart glasses that invisibly and automatically adjust to correct farsightedness instead of playing podcasts or whatever. Lenses that automatically adjusted for optimum focus would be a big deal, because the step is glasses that improve on 20/20 eyesight, maybe by allowing long-distance views, or instant microscope eyes. No release date on this, but "a long way out" seems logical.