Meta launches new smart glasses starting at $299 without Ray-Ban

In short: Meta has launched a new line of smart glasses that do not use the Ray-Ban brand, with prices starting at $299.

What happened

Meta introduced “Meta Glasses” in three frame styles and seven colors. One style is a collaboration tied to Kylie Jenner, according to Meta spokespeople. The glasses are still made with help from EssilorLuxottica, the company behind many major eyewear brands.

Meta says the main reason for dropping the Ray-Ban name is price. The new Meta Glasses start at $299, which is about $80 less than the starting price of the Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 glasses. Meta executive Alex Himel said the company wanted a lower-priced option, and it did not see an obvious fit with other lower-priced eyewear brands.

The new glasses are similar to the recent Ray-Ban Meta “Optics Styles” on the inside, and Meta says battery life is a bit longer. They also support prescription lenses, including a wide range of strengths. Meta also highlighted adjustable nose pads and arms for a better fit.

Why it matters

Smart glasses have a camera and microphones built in, like a phone you wear on your face (but smaller and easier to miss). That can make people around you worry about being recorded. Meta says “privacy updates” are coming soon to address misuse and tampering, as some places are starting to restrict or ban smart glasses.

Meta is also adding more AI features, including a newer AI system called Muse Spark (an AI model, meaning the software that generates answers). It will support more languages and add features like walking directions and a mode that picks the best photo automatically.

Source: The Verge AI