GoKawiilLanh Nguyen / Android Authority
TL;DR A Google executive recently admitted that Google Glass failed because it lacked a fashion appeal.
Sameer Samat, president of the Android ecosystem, said, “fashion comes first,” and that it’s more important than technology.
Google has now partnered with eyewear brands Warby Parker and Gentle Monster to make its upcoming smart glasses look trendy.
At I/O 2026, Google gave us a preview of how its upcoming Android XR glasses could make our lives easier. For anyone who’s followed Google’s announcement for slightly more than a decade, the announcement may have summoned a sense of nostalgia. That’s because Google first previewed its smart glass solution at I/O 13 years ago. Even if you don’t remember, Android’s chief does, and they’re grateful for what it taught them.
Sameer Samat, president of the Android ecosystem at Google, recently spoke to members of the media, including Korea’s Yonhap News, after the Google I/O 2026 conference yesterday. While discussing the new Android XR devices Google showcased at the event yesterday, Samat spoke of the lessons Google learned from its failed Glass project from the past decade.
The executive said the biggest lesson from the lack of commercial acceptance for Google Glass was that fashion outweighs technological appeal. I learned a lot. The most important thing I learned is that fashion comes first, technology comes second. That’s what we’re also seeing with the massive appeal of the Meta Ray-Ban and Oakley smart glasses. According to industry analysts’ estimates, Meta has likely sold over 7 million units of its smart glasses since their introduction in 2023. That is despite the fact that Meta’s technology does not necessarily feel superior to what Google is expected to offer.
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Samat’s comment also explains the rationale behind partnering with popular eyewear brands such as Warby Parker and Gentle Monster for its new voice-only Android XR glasses. They emphasized that “sensibility and beauty” are vital to selling most consumer tech products, and the absence of these factors can lead to pushback from prospective buyers.
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