Samsung’s smart glasses sequel is starting to come into focus

Samsung unveiled its first-ever smart glasses at Unpacked earlier this year, and although the wearable has yet to hit the market, the tech giant has reportedly already begun working on a successor. And it could finally deliver what the original glasses lacked.

For reference, the South Korean company showcased two designs for its upcoming smart glasses at Unpacked, though neither features a display. That’s reportedly what Samsung is looking to change with its next pair, as highlighted in a new report by The Elec.

The upcoming pair could potentially let users glance at information via an integrated screen. This could include information like notifications, navigation, call information, and more, preventing the need for users to reach for their phones.

Information about the development comes thanks to industry sources quoted by The Elec, who claim that Samsung Electronics has asked Samsung Display to begin developing microdisplays for its next AI glasses. Information conveyed by Samsung Electronics to its display arm also includes requirements regarding product form factor, information display area, color, and price.

Samsung is currently receiving proposals based on technologies such as OLEDoS and LEDoS, all while evaluating their performance and price. Based on the time required for panel development and the eventual device verification process, Samsung is reportedly targeting a launch sometime in the second half of 2027 or the first half of 2028.

The development shouldn’t really come as a surprise. Samsung had previously claimed that it had filed over 100 patents regarding displays in glasses, and this research had to eventually come to fruition. It also highlights that putting information directly in front of users has been part of the company’s longer-term wearable ambitions for some time now.

Samsung is reportedly considering ultra-small panels of 0.2 inches or smaller. The glass design would then magnify the display’s image directly into the user’s eye, ensuring a discreet design that prevents those on the outside from being able to look at the screen.

If and when the device comes out, don’t expect rich multimedia playback from it. Samsung will reportedly go with a 4-bit gradation level. This means that the glasses won’t be able to reproduce photos and videos with the fidelity you’d expect from a regular smartphone, and for Samsung, that isn’t an issue. The company is prioritizing text and legibility for information like messages, navigation, and system icons.

Even though Samsung has a pretty good vision (no pun intended) of what it wants to do with the upcoming glasses, it sure did leave one pretty important decision for later. The company is yet to decide whether the display will sit in front of just one eye or both. For reference, Meta’s Ray-Ban Display glasses feature a monocular design, with the display limited to the right lens. Samsung could replicate Meta’s design, or it could go with a binocular setup with displays in both lenses.

Considering that we’re yet to get our hands on Samsung’s first-gen smart glasses, all leaks and rumors about the second-gen product should be taken with a grain of salt. A lot can change between now and the upcoming glasses’ potential late 2027—early 2028 launch window.