By Ahn Byeol

Published 2026.07.26.

A model wears the smart glasses 'Intelligent Eyewear'. /Samsung Electronics

Samsung Electronics has thrown its hat into the wearable device race by unveiling its vision for ‘Intelligent Eyewear,’ smart glasses designed to interact naturally with users in their daily lives, beyond smartphones. Industry analysts suggest this move is a high-stakes data acquisition strategy aimed at securing a foothold in the future robotics market by leveraging ‘egocentric video’ data collected through the smart glasses.

Choi Jae-in, vice president and head of the XR (Extended Reality) Development Team at Samsung Electronics’ MX Division, presented the core technologies and development direction of the ‘Intelligent Eyewear’ at a product briefing held on the 23rd (local time) at Old Billingsgate in London. Choi stated, “True smart glasses are not devices that replace smartphones but next-generation mediums that understand the world from the user’s perspective and naturally extend mobile AI experiences beyond the screen.”

On the 23rd, local time, Samsung Electronics MX Division XR (Extended Reality) Development Team Leader Vice President Choi Jae-in, who appeared at the product briefing held at Old Billingsgate in London, UK, briefs on Intelligent Eyewear. /Samsung Electronics

Scheduled for release this fall, the Intelligent Eyewear incorporates an ultra-slim hinge structure, ultra-thin injection technology, and lightweight titanium and aluminum materials to achieve a natural, lightweight fit like regular glasses. It optimizes facial contact points and weight balance while featuring a heat-dissipating structure to block heat transfer to the face. The product also underwent rigorous durability tests, including sunscreen exposure trials.

Equipped with high-performance cameras, sensors, microphones, and speakers, the glasses enable hands-free real-time translation, navigation, and information recording through voice commands alone. A single charge supports up to 9 hours of continuous use, with a dedicated charging case providing over seven additional charges.

Collaborations with global eyewear brands Gentle Monster and Warby Parker ensure designs that blend seamlessly into everyday wear. Integrated with Galaxy Watch and Samsung Health, the glasses also enhance healthcare utility by providing real-time voice-guided heart rate monitoring during jogging.

The appearance of the smart glasses 'Intelligent Eyewear' unveiled by Samsung Electronics at the 'Galaxy Unpacked 2026' event held in London, UK, on the 22nd, local time,. /Samsung Electronics

Practicality and privacy concerns have been addressed. To resolve complex prescription issues, such as varying national regulations, the glasses allow users to freely replace lenses with prescription or photochromic options at nearby opticians.

To address concerns about sound leakage from the open-speaker design, Samsung applied proprietary audio technology. Choi explained, “Unless someone is standing extremely close, people at a typical distance cannot hear the sound from the smart glasses.”

The global smart glasses market (Global Market Insights) is projected to grow from 5 billion dollars (approximately 7.35 trillion Korean won) in 2026 to 10.3 billion dollars (approximately 15.15 trillion Korean won) by 2035. Companies like Samsung, Google, and Meta are focusing on smart glasses development due to the unparalleled value of first-person video data.

While smartphones and external cameras collect fragmented third-person data, first-person video data from smart glasses provides high-quality insights into where users look and how they interact with objects, enabling direct AI learning.

Humanoid robot 'HUBO 2' by Rainbow Robotics, a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics. /Courtesy of Rainbow Robotics

First-person video data is also critical for physical AI, as robots require human-centric behavioral data to develop autonomous navigation and interaction technologies in real-world environments.

In line with this, Samsung recently established the Robotics Experience (RX) Business Promotion Office under CEO Roh Tae-moon, who also leads the DX (finished products) division. Analysts suggest the smart glasses will serve as a key link connecting Samsung’s DX division smartphones and robots, forming a complete physical AI ecosystem.

A source from the robotics industry stated, “Smart glasses are the optimal tool for robots and AI to intuitively collect human behavioral data. The recent reorganization of the robotics division and the unveiling of the smart glasses appear to be a strategy to preempt a complete physical AI ecosystem extending from smartphones to robots.”

· This article has been translated by Upstage Solar AI.