Alphabet Google is apparently returning to the smart glasses sector again – a decade after its first attempt failed to achieve market traction.

This week France-based Kering Eyewear announced a partnership with Google “for the development of AI-powered glasses with Android XR, combining cutting-edge design, intelligent features, and human-centric technology in one device.”

Android XR is an extended reality operating system developed by Google (not surprisingly based on Android). It is intended for XR devices.

AI Glasses

Now according to Kering Eyewear and Google, their “collaboration marks a new chapter in design smart glasses as it will leverage the undisputed high-end eyewear expertise of Kering Eyewear and Google’s revolutionary technological innovations within extended reality.”

The new wearable is apparently “aimed at seamlessly integrating into everyday life” and “will feature intuitive, personalised AI-driven functions enabling users to engage with their environment in new and meaningful ways.”

This is not the first wearable partnership between a tech giant and fashion house.

Meta Platforms famously partnered with Ray Ban for its Ray-Ban Meta glasses, and it is expanding that wearable into new markets amid mostly positive reviews.

“We are honoured to share the values of innovation and forward thinking with Google, and we are proud to partner with them to explore new horizons for the future development of our company,” said Roberto Vedovotto, Founder, President, and CEO of Kering Eyewear.

“Together, we are shaping a product that people will want to wear: a pair of masterfully designed, high-quality, stylish glasses that unlock the potential of artificial intelligence, while redefining the way of interacting with both the real and virtual worlds,” said Vedovotto.

“We’ve always believed in blending cutting-edge technology with great user experiences,” said Shahram Izadi, GM and VP of XR at Google. “Integrating our immersive XR platform with Kering Eyewear’s iconic styles will give consumers the fashion and function to get the most out of Android XR.”

The development comes after Google had reportedly axed its AR Glasses prototype, Project Iris, in June 2023.

“Project Iris” was Google’s answer to AR headsets from the likes of Meta Platforms and Apple, after Google in May 2022 at its I/O developer conference revealed a new wearable device – namely a prototype AR glasses wearable (dubbed Lens).

Google Glass

And it is fair to say Google has a great deal of history with wearables and smart glasses.

It should be remembered that Google had acquired Canadian smart glasses company North in July 2020 for an unspecified amount (thought to be £145m).

However Google closed down the North business shortly after it acquired the firm, although some of its engineers remained Google employees.

But Google’s most famous wearable foray was Google Glass, which was perhaps one of the first truly wearable devices (being over a decade old).

In early 2012 Google co-founder Sergey Brin had been spotted in San Francisco sporting the Google Glass, which were augmented reality glasses that provided users with an in-your-face heads up display (HUD) offering information about the weather, messages from friends, or directions around town.

Google Glass was first sold to developers and early adopters in 2013 for $1,500 and it also featured a front-facing camera.

But soon concerns over the safety and privacy of the devices began to hinder its mainstream adoption, with Google Glass in particular coming under scrutiny from US lawmakers on several occasions.

Matters were not helped by its high purchase price (it cost £1,000 in the UK in 2014).

Gradual decline

Google then took the decision in 2015, after lacklustre reception to the comical appearance of the wearable device, coupled with the privacy issues, to halt production of its smart glasses for the consumer sector.

However Google did continue selling the wearable for enterprise and business use, with Glass Enterprise being the successor to Google Glass.

Google released a $999 Google’s Glass Enterprise Edition 2 of the wearable in May 2019.

But in March 2023 Google announced it would no longer sell Glass Enterprise Edition, but would continue supporting Glass Enterprise Edition until 15 September 2023.