Report: Meta is working on smart glasses with no camera

In short: Meta is reportedly developing a new pair of smart glasses that do not include a camera, amid ongoing privacy concerns.

What happened

Meta has sold smart glasses with built-in cameras, and they have been popular compared with similar products. But some people have criticized them as invasive, since a camera on glasses can record others without it being obvious.

According to The Information, Meta is now working on a new model called Luna that would remove the camera entirely. Instead, the glasses are said to focus on voice features, including access to Meta’s AI chatbot (a computer program you can talk to, like texting a help desk).

The report says Luna would include six microphones and a button on the side. Pressing the button would activate the AI so the wearer can speak to it. The glasses are also said to work with “Muse,” which the report describes as Meta’s AI consumer agent, meaning a helper that can do tasks for you inside Meta’s services.

The Information said the glasses could be shown as soon as Meta Connect next week. TechCrunch reported it contacted Meta for more details.

Why it matters

Smart glasses sit on your face, so they raise a simple question for everyone around you, which is whether they are being recorded. A camera-free model is like taking the lens cap off the conversation, people may still worry about microphones, but removing the camera could reduce the most visible fear. If Meta pushes this approach, other companies may also try camera-free designs to make smart glasses feel more acceptable in public.

Source: TechCrunch AI