Samsung is lining up a July Galaxy Unpacked event that could do two things Apple has not managed yet: launch AI smart glasses and get a foldable iPhone-style challenge in front of the market first. According to Seoul Economic Daily, the company plans to unveil new foldables alongside ”Galaxy Glasses” on July 22, with Gemini-powered eyewear and a wider-screen Fold Wide concept also in the mix.
That puts Samsung in the awkwardly flattering position of shipping first in a category Apple is still only circling. Apple has been working on its own smart glasses for years, but current rumors point to a launch no earlier than 2027, with a possible preview in 2026. In other words: Samsung may get the glory, while Apple keeps the ”coming later” card in its pocket.
What Samsung’s Galaxy Glasses are expected to do
The glasses are said to be built with Gentle Monster, run on Google’s Android XR software, and lean on Gemini for the heavy lifting. The hardware list sounds familiar in a very intentional way: a high-definition camera, speakers, and a microphone, but no built-in display.
- High-definition camera
- Speakers and microphone
- No built-in display
- Gemini integration for visual AI queries
That design choice matters. Apple’s rumored glasses are also expected to skip a display in their first version, relying on Siri, cameras, speakers, and microphones instead. The smart-glasses playbook is clearly converging on lightweight, voice-first wearables before anyone tries to cram a phone screen onto your face.
Why the July timing is useful for Samsung
Samsung’s July 22 event would land just weeks before Apple is expected to introduce its first foldable iPhone, with Apple’s usual September smartphone event still waiting in the wings after that. That gives Samsung a rare window to frame the conversation around both foldables and AI wearables before Cupertino gets to answer back.
The Fold Wide also sounds pointed rather than random. Samsung’s foldables have historically been taller than wide, while Apple is reportedly heading toward a more iPad-like 4:5 aspect ratio for its own foldable. Samsung showing a similar shape first would be a neat little bit of competitive needlework.
The real competition is Meta, not just Apple
For Samsung, the bigger target may be the Meta Ray-Ban AI glasses, which have already made smart eyewear feel less sci-fi and more like a product people might actually wear. A camera, audio, and assistant-centric design is the obvious response, and the SmartThings tie-in gives Samsung something Meta cannot easily copy: a direct route into the home.
The open question is whether that ecosystem hook is enough to make AI glasses stick outside the tech crowd. Samsung may be first, but smart glasses still have to clear the same old hurdle: usefulness that beats looking like you borrowed your future from a concept video.