Even Realties’ G2 Smart Glasses Avoid Privacy Problems
Even Realities has addressed possibly the two biggest pain points for prospective smart glasses purchasers with its new, aptly-labeled second-generation G2 ($599).
First, the company decided not to include both outward-facing cameras and speakers: no cameras to eliminate the primal fear of non-smart glasses wearers of being surreptitiously recorded, and no speakers to disturb those nearby.
Second, Even Realities claims the G2 can run for two full days on a single charge, compared to most smart glasses that require recharging halfway through a day.
Along with being able to order a pair with single-vision (i.e., no bifocals or progressive) prescription lenses ($159-$349), the design goal of the G2 by Even Realties’ founder and CEO, Will Wang, is to create the first smart glasses that could be considered true everyday glasses. Clip-on sunglasses ($99) are also available.
“When we say ‘everyday,’ we mean glasses designed to be worn from morning to night,” Wang insisted, “the first thing someone puts on when they wake up and the last thing they take off at night. G2 is built for true all-day comfort: lightweight, discreet, and streamlined enough to feel like a natural part of someone’s routine. While prescription support is available for those who need it, the core idea is universal wearability.”
Size Matters
The G2 also addresses several other smart glasses complaints, starting with size and weight.
Without the camera and speakers, the G2’s aerospace-grade titanium and magnesium alloy, screwless hinges, and IP67 dust and water-resistant frames are lighter – just 36 grams, just about what most normal glasses weigh, rather than the often nose-crushing 50 grams-plus weight of most smart glasses.
They’re also slimmer; the G2 frame temples are just 1.2 mm thick (53% thinner than the G1), and the overall frame’s size is reduced by 20%. In other words, the G2 look and feel more like normal glasses, not the heavy, blocky, and bulky goggle-like frames of other smart glasses that need to house and hide a plethora of electronics.
“A lot of devices in this space chase complexity – more sensors, more cameras, more ways to pull you out of the moment,” Wang asserted. “Not everything that’s possible is necessary. With that in mind, we took a very different, purposeful approach.”
Eliminating the camera and the speakers also enables the G2 to include larger, longer-lasting batteries. Not only can the glasses run for two days on a single charge, but the case can supply up to seven recharges.
Consumers can choose from a wider variety of colors and frame styles than many other smart frames. The G2 is available in either panto or rectangular silhouettes, in grey, brown, or green finishes.
What G2 Do Include
Rather than cameras or speakers, the G2 does offer the AI features that make glasses smart.
Even’s AI LLM powers what the company calls “Conversate,” a contextual intelligence designed to enhance real-world conversations and that can generate answers three times faster than previously, according to Wang. Other AI features include two-way translation for 29 languages with more to come, navigation with a geomagnetic sensor that adjusts depending on which way a user turns their head, and multiple function-specific widgets.
The G2 can be controlled and configured through the Even Realities app via BLE 5.2. Software updates are delivered via the app. Wang stresses that no data is stored in the cloud without the explicit consent of the user. When cloud processing is needed, all data is encrypted and personal information removed.
Since there are no speakers that provide audio AI feedback, all AI feedback are delievered in text on the G2’s 2mm thin “dual-layer” displays, two pieces of glass that can create a kind of 3D image. Quick prompts are displayed on the front lens layer, while the back layer displays more continuous information, such as directions. A wearer will see text, prompts, icons, and simple navigational elements. All visuals shown are predominantly green text, while maps include both an overview and directional lines.
G2’s dual display is driven by Even’s new proprietary HAO 2.0 (Holistic Adaptive Optics) optical engine that brings the projectors, waveguides, and lenses into perfect alignment to deliver crisp on-display information along with clear peripheral and passthrough vision.
Retail Opportunities?
At present in the U.S., the G2 is available to buy by consumers only on Even’s website.
Wang says that Even is “collaborating” with more than 300 eyewear shops around the world. “We always evaluate additional opportunities to reach an even wider audience,” Wang notes, “but we do not have more to share yet.”