Google and Samsung are preparing a Meta* competitor: the AI glasses market enters a new phase of struggle
By ForGeeks
Meta* now remains the global leader in the AI-enabled smart glasses market. But in 2026, the company will face serious competition as Google and Samsung prepare the world’s first Android XR-powered smartglasses.
Meta* is currently the global leader in the AI-enabled smartglasses market.
Google has officially confirmed that the first Android XR-powered glasses will come out in 2026. It is expected to be Samsung’s first AI glasses model. The device will get a camera, microphones, speakers and support for the Gemini AI voice assistant, but it won’t have a display. In 2027, Samsung plans to introduce the second generation — glasses with a monocular display. Interestingly, in the same year Meta* intends to release its first AI glasses model with a similar type of display.
A few months ago, Meta* showed off a prototype of glasses with a built-in display, but it’s still a long way from production. The company was previously working on wired AR glasses, codenamed Phoenix, which were expected to be released in the second half of 2026. However, according to new reports, Meta* has pushed back the launch to 2027 to improve quality and bring the product to a higher level.
The release of the Meta* Phoenix will coincide with the launch of Samsung’s AR display glasses. While technically both new products will technically be glasses, they’ll be very different in essence. Samsung’s glasses will be completely wireless and connect to your smartphone via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Phoenix’s design is different: the glasses are connected by a wire to a separate unit that contains the battery and computing components.
Two Meta* employees told Business Insider that the Phoenix prototype looks closer to Apple Vision Pro than to regular smartglasses. Essentially, Meta* is trying to occupy a middle ground between Samsung’s Galaxy XR headset and its own upcoming display-less glasses. Meta* uses Meta*’s proprietary Meta* Horizon OS, which is based on modified Android, while Samsung’s devices will run on the Android XR platform.
The AR and XR market is growing rapidly, and Apple, Meta* and Samsung will be key players in the coming years. All three companies have already created XR headsets and are working in parallel on AI glasses in different formats — with and without a built-in display. Apple could introduce its first AI glasses in 2027, and Samsung — as early as 2026.
* Owned by Meta, it is recognized as an extremist organization in Russia and its activities are banned.
