Published on: June 3, 2025 / update from: June 3, 2025 - Author: Konrad Wolfenstein
Extended reality: Kering Eyewear and Google develop AI-supported Smart Glasses-creative image: Xpert.digital
New era of the wearables: Ki-Smart glasses from Google and Kerin
Google and Kering Eyewear: The future of intelligent glasses
The technology industry is experiencing a significant turning point in the development of intelligent glasses, as two industry leaders join together for a groundbreaking project. Kering Eyewear, the glasses division of the French luxury group, announced a far-reaching partnership with Google in May 2025 in order to develop AI-based smart glasses together. This cooperation not only marks Google's new entry into the Smart Glasses market according to the failed Google Glass project, but also a direct attack on Metas successful Ray Ban collaboration. The planned glasses are supposed to combine Google's revolutionary Android XR platform with Kering Eyewears in a prestigious designing expertise in the luxury segment Advanced artificial intelligence create a new generation of portable computers.
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The strategic partnership between Kering Eyewear and Google
The cooperation between Kering Eyewear and Google represents a strategically well thought -out alliance that combines complementary strengths of both companies. Kering Eyewear, which was founded in 2014 by Roberto Vedovotto, has established itself as a leading player in the luxury glasses market and developed glasses for top-class brands such as Gucci, Cartier, Saint Laurent and Balenciaga. This expertise in high -quality design and luxury aesthetics forms the perfect counterpart to Google's technological innovations in the field of expanded reality.
Roberto Vedovotto, founder, President and CEO of Kering Eyewear, emphasized the strategic importance of this partnership: “We are honored that we share the values of innovation and forwarding with Google, and we are proud to work with Google to explore new horizons for the future development of our company". The cooperation aims to create a product "that people want to wear: a masterfully designed, high -quality and stylish glasses that releases the potential of artificial intelligence and at the same time redefines the way of interaction with the real and virtual world".
Google's commitment in this partnership is underlined by Shahram Izadi, General Manager and VP of XR on Google: “We have always believed in combining top technology with great user experiences. The integration of our immersive XR platform with the glasses of Kering Eyewear will offer fashion and function to get the best out of Android XR. This statement illustrates Google's strategy of combining technological excellence with a marketable design in order to promote the mass acceptance of smart glasses.
Android XR: Google's platform for extended reality
The heart of the planned Smart Glasses forms Google's Android XR operating system, which was officially presented in December 2024 and is considered the spiritual successor of the hired project. Android XR is a full-fledged extended reality operating system that is built on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) base and was designed for both VR headsets and for smart glass. The platform supports established Google technologies such as Arcore, Android Studio, Jetpack Compose, Unity and OpenXR, which offers developers a familiar working environment.
A decisive advantage of Android XR lies in the seamless integration of the extensive Android ecosystem, which means that a wide range of apps and applications will already be available at the market. The platform was specially optimized for the changed display and input forms of XR devices and offers new surfaces that were developed for use on adapted display forms and innovative input methods.
Samsung is the first hardware partner for Android XR with the Project Moohan, a mixed reality headset that is due to be launched in 2025. This device, the name of which means “infinity” in Korean, combines modern displays, passenthrough functions and natural multimodal input options and is described as a vision pro on Android basis. In addition to Samsung, Google works with hardware partners such as Lynx, Sony and Xreal, which rely on Qualcomm's hardware platform, as well as Magic Leap as part of a partnership that has existed since May 2024.
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Technical features and AI integration with Gemini
The planned Smart Glasses of Kering and Google will offer revolutionary functionalities through the deep integration of Google's Gemini 2.0 AI model. The glasses are to be equipped with intuitive, personalized AI-controlled functions that enable users to “deal with their surroundings in a new and sensible way”. This context-related intelligence represents a fundamental progress compared to previous smart glasses, which often acted more as Bluetooth accessories than real assistance systems.
The technical equipment of the glasses includes a camera, several microphones, open speakers over the ear and an optional in-glass display. By combining these sensors, the Gemini-Ki can analyze visual and acoustic impressions in real time, recognize environments, translate conversations and perform complex tasks solely through voice commands and understanding of context. Google already demonstrated various application scenarios at the I/O conference, including gymnastics-by-turn navigation directly in the field of vision, contextual answers to objects and locations, language translation in real time as well as photo recordings and news shipping by voice command.
A particularly innovative function is Gemini's ability to memory and object recognition. The AI can remember where objects such as keys were stored and assist it when looking for it. In addition, Gemini can help repair objects or provide live translations with subtitles during conversations with foreign language persons. These functionalities are made possible by connecting the glasses to the smartphone, which allows apps to be opened without having to take the cell phone out of your pocket.
Market positioning and competition
The Kering-Google partnership is strategically positioning itself in an increasingly competitive smart glasses market, which is dominated by Metas successful Ray Ban collaboration. Meta was able to achieve remarkable success with the Ray-Ban Meta Meta Smart Glasses: the sales tripled in 2024, with over a million devices sold this year and a total of two million since the market launch in October 2023.
The cooperation between Kering and Google is explicitly referred to as the “clear affront against Metas collaboration with Ray-Ban” and is a direct attempt to challenge Meta's market leadership. While Meta already announced that it would introduce new smart glasses products in 2025, including Oakley glasses and a higher-priced product with head-up display, Google relies on the combination of luxury design and advanced AI integration.
Google addresses a central weakness of earlier smart glasses projects: acceptance in everyday life. Through cooperation with renowned design brands such as Kering Eyewear, but also Warby Parker and Gentle Monster, “technical functionality with portable aesthetics” is to be connected. This strategy aims to overcome the hurdle where many predecessors have failed, including the original Google Glass project.
Industrial context and other partnerships
Google follows a comprehensive partner strategy that goes beyond the kering cooperation and includes a wide network of manufacturers and design companies. In parallel to the Kering partnership, Google has concluded an important agreement with the optician chain Warby Parker, within the framework of which Google provides up to $ 75 million for product development and marketing costs and invests an additional $ 75 million in the company. This partnership is intended to combine multimodal AI, which also records text, audio, video and pictures, with prescription and non -prescription glasses.
Dave Gilboa, Co-CEO of Warby Parker, emphasized the strategic importance: “With a view to the future, we believe that multimodal AI is perfect for glasses. It enables real-time context and intelligence to expand the surroundings of the wearer while moving through the world”. The Warby Parker line should come onto the market after 2025 and be designed for all-day wear.
In addition to these main partnerships, Google is cooperating with Gentle Monster, an innovative brillery company that has already gained experience with Smart Glasses through earlier cooperation with Huawei. The Huawei X Gentle Monster Eyewear II from 2022 already demonstrated the feasibility of stylish smart glasses with audio functionalities, albeit with restrictions on sound quality and privacy. This previous experience could be valuable for the Google partnership.
The investment of a total of around $ 150 million in the partner network underlines Google's determination to successfully enter the Smart Glasses market this time. This financing enables partners to make both technological development and market launch professionally.
XR competition of the tech giants: Who sets the standards?
The market launch of the Kering-Google Smart Glasses is planned for the coming years, whereby concrete appointments have not yet been announced. Developers can already test a preview version of Android XR, which indicates that the platform has already been technically advanced. The first series of the Warby Parker glasses is scheduled to come onto the market after 2025, which suggests a similar time frame for the Kering products.
The Smart Glasses market is facing a crucial turning point, since several technology giants develop innovative products at the same time. In addition to Google and Meta, Apple also works on smart glasses technologies, which is expected as a “Vision Pro Light”. Microsoft and other companies also invest considerably in XR technologies, which increases innovation pressure in the entire industry.
In the combination of artificial intelligence and portable technology, experts see enormous potential that goes far beyond previous applications. The new Smart Glasses could not only find revolutionary applications in the private sector, but also in industry and healthcare. The integration of context-conscious AI assistance, which fits seamlessly into everyday life, could mark the beginning of a new phase of human-computer interaction.
AI-based smart glasses: The next big step from Google and Kering
The partnership between Kering Eyewear and Google for the development of Ki-based smart glasses represents a strategically significant step in the evolution of portable technologies. The combination of Kering Eyewear's luxury design expertise with Google's advanced Android XR platform and Gemini-AI creates a product that promises both technological innovation and everyday sustainability. This approach addresses the fundamental weaknesses of earlier smart glasses generations and could mean the breakthrough for the mass acceptance of intelligent glasses. With a robust partner network, considerable investments and a clear vision for context-conscious AI integration, Google is positioning itself for a new, possibly successful start in the smart Glasses market.
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