One of JB Hi-Fi’s next big growth categories for 2026 is expected to be intelligent glasses, with Samsung and HTC both tipped to enter the market.

The launch will mark the return of Taiwanese brand HTC, which once dominated Australia’s Android smartphone scene with models like the HTC One, One M8, and One M9 before exiting to focus on its Vive VR headsets. HTC will now compete in the AI-powered smart glasses space alongside Meta’s Ray-Ban line, Google’s upcoming smart eyewear, and possibly a new entrant from Oakley.

Samsung is expected to unveil its first smart glasses at CES 2026 in January, with Australian availability forecast for late that year. Reports from China and South Korea suggest the glasses will feature built-in speakers, a microphone, and a camera, in a design similar to the Ray-Ban Meta range. This product will be separate from Samsung’s AR display glasses, which are in development with Google. Google’s Android XR glasses, first teased at the company’s I/O 2025 keynote, will be produced by eyewear partner Warby Parker and could arrive as early as next year, setting the stage for a strong 2026 smart glasses market.

HTC’s first AI smart glasses, the Vive Eagle, are already making waves. The lightweight 49g frame includes a 12MP ultra-wide camera with LED indicator, open-ear speakers, a 235mAh battery, and magnetic fast charging. They feature the Vive AI voice assistant, which supports large language models like ChatGPT and Google Gemini for voice-controlled camera operation, music playback, and complex queries. Real-time translation is supported in 13 languages, including Arabic, Traditional Chinese, English, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, Korean, Thai, and Turkish.

The Vive Eagle delivers up to 4.5 hours of continuous music playback or 36 hours on standby. Currently available only in Taiwan, pre-orders are open ahead of the September 1 release. Priced at A$769, the glasses come in four colours: Berry, Coffee, Grey, and Black.