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Google teases AR glasses at TED 2025, but don’t expect them to come out anytime soon

Prime Highlights

  • Google showcased a prototype of its next-generation AR glasses at TED 2025, featuring real-time translation and object recognition.
  • Though emphasizing progress, Google has yet to provide a launch date, suggesting the tech is still in development.

Key Facts

  • The AR glasses use Android XR and are smartphone-dependent.
  • Features showcased include Farsi-to-English translation and book scanning.
  • They are paired with Google’s Gemini AI for increased capability.

Key Background

Google gave a preview of its vision for the future of augmented reality and showcased a prototype of intelligent AR glasses at TED 2025 in Vancouver. The device, still unnamed and in prototype, is Google’s newest foray into the world of AR after years of quiet in the tech industry since the demise of Google Glass. The glasses were donned by Google’s Android XR lead Shahram Izadi and product manager Nishtha Bhatia during a live demo.

Dependent on Google’s Android XR operating system, the glasses require a tethered smartphone to power and process information. One of the features shown on stage included real-time translation, whereby Farsi was translated into English on the lenses. The device also showed book scanning and contextual object recognition—features made possible through deep integration with Google’s Gemini AI.

Even with the impressive tech and slick demo, Google did not reveal any commercial release schedule. The product remains in development, and according to the company, it could take a few years before it is ready for consumers. This cautious approach reflects the technical and usability issues that continue to plague the AR hardware category.

Google’s renewed emphasis on AR comes as part of a trend in the industry. Tech giants such as Meta and Snap have been working actively on AR wearables. Meta has already previewed its Orion glasses, while Snap has shipped several generations of Spectacles. The efforts are a shared vision to move beyond smartphones to a more immersive and context-aware platform.

Google, historically, was among the pioneering companies to try its hand in the AR wearables market with Google Glass in 2013. That effort, though, was panned as feature-light, too costly, and problematic for privacy, leading to it being shelved. The latest prototype is better finished and clearly intended for broader and more complex use cases thanks to advancements in AI and display technology.

While still years from widespread adoption, the debut at TED 2025 attests to Google’s commitment to the AR space in the long term and hints at an age where smart glasses could be a mainstream tech accessory.