Everyone is also keeping an eye on AI smart glasses. I hope they’ll be transparent and illuminated.

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      Are we about to see transparent glasses featuring glyph lights? Come on, Nothing!

      The competition for smart glasses will be intense next year, and it appears that UK-based newcomer Nothing wants to be part of it. As reported by Bloomberg, the company is planning to introduce AI-enhanced smart glasses next year, alongside Meta (and soon, Samsung).

      A bold competitor to the dominating Meta?

      "According to insiders, the London-based startup intends to launch the glasses in the first half of 2027. Nothing is also developing new earbuds with AI features that are expected to be released later this year," the report states. Importantly, these smart glasses will lack a built-in display and will instead feature a combination of a speaker, microphone, and camera within the wearable design.

      The concept mirrors what Meta has achieved with the Ray-Ban AI glasses, which now also have a prescription version available. Interestingly, Nothing’s co-founder and CEO, Carl Pei, was initially hesitant about the idea but later adopted a multi-device approach. Presently, the company mainly concentrates on smartphones, earbuds, watches, and a limited range of accessories with a unique design.

      A risky move, yet not surprising

      Nothing is familiar with the world of AI. In fact, it holds a very optimistic outlook on the technology. Pei, formerly with OnePlus, recently asserted that advancements in AI will render traditional mobile applications obsolete. The company has just launched a Playground feature that employs AI to enable users to create custom mini-apps and share them with others. However, smart glasses present a completely different challenge, particularly for a smaller company.

      Meta

      Google has consistently showcased its Android-powered smart glasses, exhibiting impressive Gemini-powered experiences. Samsung's smart glasses, based on Google's platform, are also expected to debut later this year. Meta dominates the industry, but Chinese companies like Xreal, Rokid, and RayNeo have also made significant strides recently. It will be interesting to see how Nothing distinguishes itself, especially with a design sure to garner attention.

      Nadeem serves as the Managing Editor at Digital Trends.

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