Smart glasses have always had one feature that raised privacy concerns: secretly filming and taking pictures of other people. After all, that's the main reason for the downfall of the original Google Glass.
Well, the new Android XR glasses, developed by Samsung in collaboration with Warby Parker and Gentle Monster, don't have this problem—because they're not allowed to see human faces.
Samsung Intelligent Eyewear Android XR glasses will blur people's faces
All images and videos taken during these Gemini queries won't be saved in the history log of the AI agent. | Image by Google
Android XR Vice President and General Manager Shahram Izadi shared a lengthy post on Google's official blog about how these new AI-powered smart glasses will work.
The most important privacy feature is that all Android XR smart glasses, not only Samsung's Intelligent Eyewear, will blur people's faces before sending images and video to Google servers for processing.
…when technology can see the world around you, it has a responsibility to the people around you, too. Throughout our years of research on glasses, we listened closely to wearers, bystanders, and privacy experts. We found that wearers were constantly calculating using glasses like these out-and-about during their day, while bystanders noted concerns about being filmed without their knowledge.
- Android XR Vice President and General Manager Shahram Izadi, Nov 12, 2026
The feature will turn on automatically when you ask Gemini for information about your surroundings—for example, having it translate a sign or identify something. If there are people inside the glasses' field of view, their faces will be blurred before the image is sent to Google's data centers for processing.
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You're getting the same level of protection for your face as well. If you happen to walk by a mirror while initiating one of these queries, your face will also be blurred using the same privacy algorithms.
Gemini will not save images and videos in its logs
Before using intelligent eyewear, you must agree not to record others without permission, not to record in sensitive places, and not to cover the outer indicator light. | Image by Google
Furthermore, all images and videos taken during these Gemini queries won't be saved in the history log of the AI agent.
The next point is particularly interesting. Google says that visual data from these Gemini queries won't be used for AI training or ad personalization.
The privacy framework goes beyond just Gemini and involves third-party apps as well. Play Store apps for Android XR glasses won't be able to use the camera for facial recognition or livestreaming.
That way, Google will have control over what the camera records and be able to apply its privacy filters. Locking the camera features behind this privacy wall could be a bummer for some people who would want to use the glasses as an action camera or stream their wildlife adventures or that trip to Japan, for example.
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Front-facing privacy LED camera indicator
Android XR glasses, including Samsung Intelligent Eyewear, have a privacy LED indicator. | Image by Google
Just like with Meta Ray-Bans, Android XR glasses, including Samsung Intelligent Eyewear, have a privacy LED indicator, which is designed to alert people around you when the glasses are actively recording or taking pictures.
The camera on all Android XR glasses won't turn on if this indicator is covered or disabled, bringing the same anti-tampering features as the aforementioned Ray-Bans.
Given that the glasses already blur people's faces and don't allow third-party apps to use the camera for streaming or facial recognition, this feature seems like slight overkill.
However, giving people around you clues that you're actively recording could be helpful. You just need to explain that their faces are blurred and hope they believe you.
Is this system bulletproof?
Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses were involved in many controversies regarding their privacy features. | Image by Meta
Google's privacy features baked into Android XR are thoughtful and designed to give people peace of mind. However, there's no such thing as a 100% safe system.
Some faces could slip through unblurred if the system fails to recognize them, and people will most definitely find ways to use Android XR glasses for sinister things.
There's a recent example involving a Harvard student who tinkered with Meta Ray-Ban glasses and turned them into a full-fledged facial recognition device. There are many cases where government agencies have abused Ray-Bans and their recording capabilities, and there have even been reports of the government asking Meta for a special facial-recognition model for security agencies.
The first Android XR glasses are available for pre-order
You can already pre-order the Samsung Intelligent Eyewear. | Image by Google
Samsung's Intelligent Eyewear smart glasses are officially available for pre-order. Prices start at $395, and the first pairs are scheduled to start shipping to customers in the United States and South Korea on December 10, 2026.
The Intelligent Eyewear smart glasses feature a front-facing 12MP ultrawide camera, built-in speakers and microphone, and up to nine hours of battery life between charges.
What do you think about all this? Would you buy a pair, and do you believe Google will really blur people's faces?
Read more about Android XR and smart glasses here:
Mariyan, a tech enthusiast with a background in Nuclear Physics and Journalism, brings a unique perspective to PhoneArena. His childhood curiosity for gadgets evolved into a professional passion for technology, leading him to the role of Editor-in-Chief at PCWorld Bulgaria before joining PhoneArena. Mariyan's interests range from mainstream Android and iPhone debates to fringe technologies like graphene batteries and nanotechnology. Off-duty, he enjoys playing his electric guitar, practicing Japanese, and revisiting his love for video games and Haruki Murakami's works.
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