Google Smart Glasses 2026 Relaunch - How AI and Wearable Tech Are Transforming the Future of Personal Computing

Remember Google Glass?  It was a futuristic vision that arrived a decade too early. Now, Google is planning a 2026 relaunch, and this time, everything has changed.

In this episode of the Inspiring Tech Leaders podcast, I discuss the relaunch of this technology, but this isn't just a reboot; it's a complete transformation powered by AI and a new, critical focus on wearability.

In this episode I explore: 

💡 Why the original 2013 version failed (price, awkwardness, social acceptance)

💡 How AI is turning smart glasses into a contextual assistant, not just a screen

💡 The fierce competition from Meta (Ray-Ban) and the crucial role of fashion and design

💡    The biggest challenge: Will we ever fully accept wearable cameras and microphones?

Smart glasses are poised to become the next serious frontier in personal computing. Do you think Google's second attempt will succeed, or will privacy concerns hold back the mass adoption of smart glasses?

Available on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | All major podcast platforms

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Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction
• 1:49 What is Different about the new Google Glass Platform
• 3:06 Meta's Ray-Ban Smart Glasses
• 4:08 [Ad] Everyday AI: Your daily guide to grown with Generative AI
• 4:56 (Cont.) Meta's Ray-Ban Smart Glasses
• 6:16 Privacy Challenges
• 7:52 Wrap Up

Transcript

Welcome to the Inspiring Tech Leaders podcast, with me Dave Roberts.  This is the podcast that talks with tech leaders from across the industry, exploring their insights, sharing their experiences, and offering valuable advice to technology professionals.  The podcast also explores technology innovations and the evolving tech landscape, providing listeners with actionable guidance and inspiration.

In today’s episode I’m exploring the recent headline that Google is preparing to relaunch smart glasses for 2026, my first reaction was a mix of nostalgia and curiosity. Because for me, Google Glass isn’t just a product story, it’s a memory. I can still picture myself at a Gartner Conference in Orlando back in 2013, walking through the expo hall where everything felt futuristic, experimental, and slightly unreal. That was where I first tried Google Glass. At the time, it genuinely felt like stepping into the future. With a lightweight frame, a tiny screen floating just above your eye, and notifications appearing without pulling out a phone, it really was impressive technology. But I also remember thinking two things very clearly. First, that this is amazing. And second, this is expensive, awkward, and not quite ready for the real world.

Back then, Google Glass cost around $1,500 USD, which in context of today it was about 3 times the price of a new iPhone. It wasn’t something you could casually justify, and socially it felt… well a bit strange. Even in a room full of tech leaders and innovators, it felt like wearing something from a sci-fi film that hadn’t quite arrived yet. And within a few years, the consumer version of Google Glass quietly faded away. It never really truly died, it survived in enterprise and industrial use, but as a consumer product, it became a cautionary tale about being too early to market.

Fast forward more than a decade, and suddenly Google is back with a new version of the product. This time, they’re openly saying they want to try again, with smart glasses targeted for launch in 2026.  But this isn’t just a reboot of the old idea. What Google is proposing now reflects how dramatically the technology landscape has changed since 2013. These new glasses are expected to be powered by AI at their core, running on Google’s new Android XR platform, and developed in partnership with companies that actually understand fashion and wearability. That alone tells us Google has learned an important lesson, which is that people won’t wear technology on their face unless it looks and feels like something they already want to wear.

What’s particularly interesting is that Google seems to be exploring two different approaches. One is screen-free AI glasses, similar in concept to what Meta has already done with Ray-Ban, where the glasses act as an always-available assistant. They listen, speak, take photos, and help you interact with the world through voice and sound rather than visuals. The other approach includes in-lens displays — subtle, private overlays that can show navigation, translations, captions, or contextual information without blocking your view of the real world. This is a very different proposition from the original Google Glass, where the display felt like a compromise rather than a feature.

And this time, Google isn’t alone. The smart glasses market has quietly been growing up. Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses have shown that there is real consumer interest when the design is right and the price is reasonable. These glasses already let people take photos, record video, listen to audio, and interact with AI using voice commands. Meta has even pushed further with experimental display versions and alternative input methods like neural wristbands. This isn't some clunky controller, it's a sleek wristband that reads the electrical signals from your arm muscles. This technology, called electromyography or EMG, allows you to control the glasses with subtle, almost imperceptible hand gestures. A simple pinch of your fingers, a slight swipe of your thumb, these are the new clicks and scrolls. It’s an incredibly intuitive and discreet way to navigate, making the whole experience feel less like operating a device and more like an extension of your own body.  So, this means that the ecosystem Google is re-entering is far more mature than the one it helped create back in 2013.

What’s really changed, though, is AI. In 2013, Google Glass was about notifications and basic information. In 2026, smart glasses are about intelligence. They can understand what you’re looking at, translate conversations in real time, summarise information, guide you through unfamiliar places, and act as a contextual assistant rather than just a screen. Advances in on-device processing mean a lot of this can happen instantly, without constant reliance on the cloud. Displays are smaller, clearer, and less intrusive. Batteries last longer. Chips are more efficient. All the missing pieces that made Google Glass feel premature are now finally falling into place.

That said, some of the old challenges haven’t disappeared. Privacy remains one of the biggest questions hanging over smart glasses. People are still uneasy about wearable cameras and microphones, especially in public spaces. Social norms haven’t fully caught up with the idea that someone could be recording, analysing, or interacting with AI just by looking at you. For smart glasses to truly succeed, companies like Google will need to be incredibly thoughtful about transparency, indicators, and trust. This isn’t just a technical problem, it’s a cultural one.

And then there’s the question of acceptance. Will people actually wear these all day? Will smart glasses become as normal as earbuds and smartwatches, or will they remain a niche product for enthusiasts and professionals? That’s the real test. Because technology only becomes transformative when it disappears into everyday life. When it stops feeling like technology at all.

Looking back at my experience with Google Glass all those years ago, I don’t see it as a failure anymore. I see it as a prototype that arrived before its time. It showed us what might be possible, even if it couldn’t quite deliver on the promise. Now, with AI at the centre, better design partnerships, and a world that’s far more comfortable with wearable tech, Google’s second attempt feels far more grounded.

Whether Google ultimately wins this race is still an open question. Meta is moving fast. Apple is rumoured to be watching closely. But what’s clear is that smart glasses are no longer a novelty. They’re becoming the next serious frontier in personal computing. And this time, the future Google showed us back in 2013 might finally be ready to arrive.

Well, that is all for today. Thanks for tuning in to the Inspiring Tech Leaders podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with your network.  You can find more insights, show notes, and resources at www.inspiringtechleaders.com

Head over to the social media channels, you can find Inspiring Tech Leaders on X, Instagram, INSPO and TikTok.  Let me know your thoughts on wearable technology.

Thanks for listening, and until next time, stay curious, stay connected, and keep pushing the boundaries of what is possible in tech.