Competition in the smart glasses market, seen as the next-generation form factor, is intensifying. Samsung Electronics is reportedly set to unveil its smart glasses as early as this fall, while Apple continues to generate buzz with ongoing speculation about its own smart glasses development.
According to industry sources on May 3, the smart glasses market is experiencing rapid growth. Counterpoint Research recently reported that the global augemented reality (AR) smart glasses market grew by 98% year-over-year in 2025.
Counterpoint Research predicts that the global AR smart glasses market will maintain its growth trajectory, driven by major original equipment manufacturer’s (OEM) global expansion, an influx of new entrants, and improvements in display and optical component technologies.
Samsung Electronics is one of the key players in the smart glasses market. Recently, the term Glasses was spotted during an update to Samsung’s Device Search Applelication, sparking interest. This app helps smartphones and tablets detect and connect to nearby devices, with the update including features for pairing and battery status notifications.
Based on leaked information, Samsung’s smart glasses are expected to resemble Meta’s Ray-Ban or Google’s Gemini glasses in design. Some speculate that they will focus on a screenless artificial intelligence (AI) assistant and audio functionality, without a separate display inside the glasses.
Samsung’s smart glasses are anticipated to run on Google’s next-generation operating system, Android XR, and Gemini. Android Headlines suggests that with Gemini, users could perform tasks like sign translations, photo capture, weather checks, and Google Maps navigation, potentially giving Samsung a competitive edge.
Reports also indicate that Samsung is developing high-end models equipped with micro light-emitting diode (LED) displays.
Industry watchers expect Samsung to unveil its smart glasses at an Unpacked event later this year. On April 30, Samsung Electronics mobile experience (MX) division Vice President Cho Sung-hyuk stated during a conference call that the company aims to drive growth through enhanced AI capabilities and innovations in next-generation glasses and other new form factors.
Meanwhile, Apple is also reportedly developing smart glasses, with industry speculation pointing to a possible release as early as 2027.
According to MacRumors, Apple is considering equipping its smart glasses with two cameras. A high-resolution camera would capture photos and videos, while a second, lower-resolution wide-angle camera is expected to track hand gestures and provide visual data to Siri.
MacRumors further reports that Apple is implementing gesture-based input methods in Vision Pro and is rumored to be updating AirPods Pro with a low-resolution camera and gesture support features, suggesting that Apple is actively embracing gesture control technology.
