Halliday is back with a second-generation smart glasses model that attempts to fix nearly everything wrong with its universally panned 2025 debut.

The Halliday G2 ditches the first-gen DigiWindow microLED display, which projected text millimeters from the eye and was widely criticized as unusable. Instead, the new model uses waveguide prisms embedded in both prescription-ready lenses, offering a larger field of view and far better readability.

CEO Carter Hou admitted the company made “many mistakes” with the G1, including poor component choices that prioritized lightness over quality, manufacturing delays from inexperience working with suppliers, and insufficient testing. The original glasses scored 54 out of 100 on Engadget and received negative reviews across the tech press.

The G2 also removes the problematic USB-C charging port with its finicky rubber gasket, replacing it with a pogo-pin charging clip. The companion ring controller is gone too, swapped for a touchpad on the right temple arm. There is still no camera. Battery life is rated at 12 hours of heavy use.

Halliday is shifting focus to the business market, building AI agents that analyze meeting conversations in real time. The glasses track discussion threads, flag decisions, prompt for action items, and deliver AI-generated summaries. Navigation features were dropped to maintain focus.

The G2 costs $599, with a $100 early-bird discount for $10 deposits. Owners of the original G1 can buy at half price. Shipments are expected to begin in September.

Source: Engadget