Samsung’s Gemini glasses cost $395 and pair with iPhones

Samsung has opened pre-orders for its first smart glasses. They start at $395 and ship on December 10 in the United States and South Korea. The glasses run Google’s Gemini. They also work with iPhones, so you do not need a Galaxy phone.

The glasses weigh about 41 grams, close to normal frames. They have a 12MP camera, open-ear speakers and four microphones. A Qualcomm Snapdragon AR1 chip runs them. There is no display in the lens. Samsung first showed this design at Galaxy Unpacked in July. It runs on Android XR, Google’s software for glasses and headsets.

Gemini does the work. You can ask it about what you see, such as a landmark or a printed sign. It can translate text and read out Google Maps directions. It can also summarise your notifications and link to Google Calendar and Samsung Notes. The glasses share the heavy work with a paired phone. Without a screen, directions come as spoken prompts. You will not see maps or text in your view.

Frames from Warby Parker start at $395. Gentle Monster frames cost $449 to $489. Samsung offers 30 variations across both brands. Prescription lenses are available, and they may raise the final price.

Pre-orders run through the Warby Parker and Gentle Monster websites and stores. Warby Parker frames will be sold only in the US. Gentle Monster frames will also go on sale in South Korea. Sales start on December 10 in both countries. On that day, you can try a pair in the US. More than 360 Warby Parker stores will have demos. So will seven Samsung Experience Stores.

Cameras on glasses worry many people, so Samsung added limits. The glasses show a recording light. When you ask Gemini about a scene, the system blurs the faces of bystanders. Buyers must be 18 or older, and the glasses ask for age verification during setup.

Samsung also says the images Gemini sees will not train its AI or target ads. Those steps are sensible. Still, I would want to see how well the face blurring works in busy places before trusting it.

Samsung announced the date and prices on November 12. It has named only two markets so far. India is not confirmed, and the company has shared no plans for Europe. Meta’s Ray-Ban glasses already sell in many countries, so buyers elsewhere have a choice today.

For now, the glasses offer a camera and an assistant, but no screen. That keeps the price lower than display models. It also means the experience depends heavily on Gemini and your phone.