I’ve had my eye on Samsung’s wearable roadmap for a long time, but the latest news is finally something worth talking about. You can forget about those bulky, awkward headsets we’ve seen before; Samsung just used their latest earnings call to confirm they’re dropping next-gen AR glasses in 2026.
This isn’t just another tech experiment. Samsung is positioning these to be a major part of your daily life, leaning heavily into a partnership with style icons like Gentle Monster and Warby Parker. Here is the breakdown of what we know so far about the project formerly codenamed “Haen.”
The Design: Slim, Light, and Stealthy
The biggest hurdle for AR has always been looking like a cyborg. Samsung seems to have solved this.
-
Form Factor: Designed to be “thin and light” to fit various face shapes.
-
The Stealth Factor: Early reports suggest the first-gen model might not even have a traditional display. Instead, they’ll look indistinguishable from high-end sunglasses, similar to the Meta Ray-Ban style.
-
Why it matters: If they feel like regular glasses, you’ll actually wear them to the grocery store or a concert, not just leave them on your desk.
AI Power: Beyond Just Voice Commands
Samsung’s Executive VP, Seong Cho, is promising “rich, immersive multimodal AI experiences.” This is where things get interesting.
-
Multimodal AI: These glasses won’t just hear you; they’ll “see” what you see via built-in cameras.
-
Google Integration: Expect deep Gemini AI integration to help you identify landmarks, translate menus in real-time, or remind you where you met that person approaching you.
-
OS: They are expected to run on Android XR, a dedicated operating system built specifically for the extended reality ecosystem.
Key Specs & Features (What to Expect)
While we wait for the official spec sheet, here is what the leaks and official comments point toward:
-
Camera & Sensors: High-res sensors for motion tracking and point-of-view recording.
-
Audio: Integrated speakers for music playback and crystal-clear calls.
-
Connectivity: Seamless “social sharing” features to post clips directly from your eyes to your feed.
-
Compatibility: Optimized for the Galaxy ecosystem but built on the open Android XR platform.
My Take: The Smartwatch Moment for Your Face
Look, we’ve already seen this play out with smartwatches. They started as clunky gadgets for nerds and turned into actual fashion statements. It seems like Samsung is making a similar bet here. By ditching the heavy screens for the time being and doubling down on AI and pure aesthetics, they’re clearly trying to beat Apple and Meta to your face. The real kicker is the timeline: while a version with a full AR display is probably a 2027 story, this 2026 AI-first model is what’s going to bridge that gap.
I’ll be keeping a close watch on this—as we get closer to 2026, I’m definitely going to be hunting for any leaked shots of those Gentle Monster frames.
