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At the Meta Connect developer conference, Mark Zuckerberg, head of Meta, demonstrates a prototype of computer glasses capable of displaying digital objects on transparent lenses.
Andrej Sokolow | Picture Alliance | Getty Images
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg unveiled the $799 Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses on Wednesday, marking the tech giant’s foray into consumer-ready smart glasses with integrated display technology. The launch underscores Meta’s continued push into the augmented reality (AR) space, aiming to blend digital experiences seamlessly into everyday life.
Priced at $799, these glasses feature a miniature digital display controlled via hand gestures, facilitated by a neural technology-powered wristband. The company is betting on an intuitive user experience as a key differentiator in a market crowded with wearable tech. This feature confirms earlier reports regarding functionality, hinting at a cohesive ecosystem Meta is building around its AR hardware.
The Ray-Ban Display glasses serve as a crucial intermediary between the existing audio-only Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses and the more ambitious, experimental Orion AR glasses showcased at the previous year’s Connect event. While Orion promises a fully immersive experience by overlaying 3D visuals onto the user’s real-world view, its high production costs and developmental stage have limited its availability. The new glasses offer a more accessible, immediate entry point into Meta’s vision for augmented reality.
Accompanying the Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses is the Meta Neural Band, an EMG wristband enabling gesture-based control of the device. This demonstrates Meta’s commitment to exploring and refining novel interfaces for interacting with AR environments. The neural band’s effectiveness and user adoption will be closely watched as a potential indicator of future trends in wearable interaction.
“These are glasses with the classic style that you’d expect from Ray-Ban, but they’re the first AI glasses with a high-resolution display and a fully weighted Meta neural band,” Zuckerberg stated, positioning the product as a fusion of style, functionality, and cutting-edge technology.
According to Zuckerberg, the glasses enable users to execute tasks such as watching videos and viewing and responding to text messages directly through the integrated display. A key design element is the non-obtrusive nature of the display, which disappears when inactive, maintaining a natural visual experience for the wearer and those interacting with them.
The glasses are slated for release in the U.S. on September 30th, signaling Meta’s intent to quickly bring the technology to market and gauge consumer interest. Early adoption will be crucial for gathering data and refining future iterations of its AR hardware.
During a live demonstration, Zuckerberg encountered a minor technical glitch when attempting to call Meta’s CTO, Andrew Bosworth. “This is uh — you know, it happens,” Zuckerberg commented, demonstrating the challenges inherent in showcasing nascent technology.
Meta has been collaborating with EssilorLuxottica on the development of its smart glasses since 2019, leveraging the eyewear giant’s expertise in design and manufacturing. The continued partnership underscores the strategic importance of integrating stylish, comfortable hardware with advanced technological capabilities. The partnership aims to overcome the historical challenges of AR glasses, focusing on both aesthetics and functionality.
In addition to the Ray-Ban Display glasses, Meta unveiled the Oakley Meta Vanguard smart glasses, targeting athletes engaged in high-intensity sports such as snowboarding and mountain biking. Priced at $499 and launching on October 21st, these glasses represent a premium over the Oakley Meta HSTN glasses released earlier in the year. The higher price point reflects the addition of specialized features and design elements catering to the demands of athletic performance.
The Oakley Meta Vanguard glasses feature a wraparound design with extended colorful lenses, providing enhanced peripheral vision and protection. An under-frame button allows athletes wearing helmets to easily capture photos and video, addressing a key usability concern. This highlights Meta’s approach of tailoring smart glasses for specific use cases, potentially driving adoption among niche markets.
These sports-centric glasses boast up to nine hours of battery life, capture 3K video, and feature enhanced speakers. Connectivity with Garmin fitness watches enables the tracking of biometrics like heart rate via the Meta AI assistant. The integration of fitness data offers athletes real-time performance insights, positioning the smart glasses as a potential training tool. Preorders for the Oakley Meta Vanguard glasses are available immediately.
Meta also introduced the Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2), an updated version of its original smart glasses, priced at $379, an increase from the previous $299 model. The second-generation glasses offer doubled battery life, lasting eight hours on a single charge, and a more powerful camera capable of capturing 3K Ultra HD video. These improvements underscore Meta’s ongoing efforts to address key limitations of earlier models and deliver a more compelling user experience.
Furthermore, Zuckerberg announced Horizon TV, a platform designed to allow users to stream television shows, sporting events, and movies via Meta’s Quest VR headsets. Content partners include Disney and Universal Pictures, signaling Meta’s ambition to create a comprehensive entertainment ecosystem within its virtual reality environment. The success of Horizon TV will depend on attracting a critical mass of both content providers and VR headset users.
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