Augmented Reality

Meta’s new $799 Ray-Ban Display glasses feature a built-in display and a neural interface wristband for intuitive control. Launching Sept. 30, the glasses offer practical AR functionality like message viewing and live captions, prioritizing utility over immersive entertainment. A small display in the right lens, coupled with hand gestures enabled by the EMG wristband, allows users to control the glasses, activating apps and adjusting volume. While the display clarity has compromise, the wristband and voice command function show potential for expanded AR applications.

At Meta Connect, Mark Zuckerberg introduced the Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses ($799), consumer-ready smart glasses with integrated displays controlled by hand gestures via a neural wristband. This marks Meta’s expansion into augmented reality, bridging the gap between audio-only glasses and experimental AR glasses. Alongside, Meta also unveiled the Oakley Meta Vanguard smart glasses ($499) for athletes, and the Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) with improved battery and camera. The event also announced Horizon TV for streaming content on Meta Quest VR headsets.

Meta is set to unveil its advanced “Hypernova” smart glasses at its annual Connect event. Priced around $800, these glasses mark a step toward integrating displays into wearables, following previous collaborations with EssilorLuxottica. Analysts emphasize the need for Meta to demonstrate the return on investment for its Reality Labs, which has incurred substantial losses. While VR headsets face uncertain market traction, smart glasses are seen as a more promising avenue, with potential for AI integration. The success is crucial as Apple and Google also develop competing products.

RayNeo and AutoNavi announced a strategic partnership on May 22, 2025, merging AR wearables with AI mapping to develop next-gen spatial computing solutions. Their AR glasses offer real-time navigation overlays, AI-driven POI recommendations, and proactive travel assistants, reducing smartphone reliance. Leveraging AutoNavi’s geospatial data and RayNeo’s 50% market dominance in China, the collaboration aims to mainstream AR for urban mobility and commerce. Upcoming products, including MicroLED-equipped X3 Pro glasses, will advance intelligent navigation and contextual services, positioning AR as a daily productivity tool beyond gaming novelties. The initiative reflects both companies’ vision to redefine smart city interactions through wearable AI integration.

Vuzix (NASDAQ: VUZI), an AI-driven smart glasses and AR leader, transforms logistics following Amazon’s LinkedIn feature. Amazon leverages Vuzix’s “see what I see” capability, enabling remote experts to troubleshoot machinery via real-time worker video feeds, slashing downtime by 40% during trials. CEO Paul Travers highlights Amazon’s enterprise integration validates scalable workforce transformation through hands-free connectivity. Widely deployed across Amazon’s European and North American facilities, this marks Vuzix’s shift from niche tools to core operations. Serving Fortune 500 clients in defense, healthcare, and industry, Vuzix also develops adaptive lens technologies. R&D centers in Rochester, NY, and Kyoto emphasize its sustained industry innovation.

Rokid and AutoNavi partner to launch the first full-context navigation app for smart glasses, enabling multimodal interactions via voice commands to switch between walking, cycling, and driving modes during active use. A minimalist holographic display projects navigation data at a 4-meter virtual distance, reducing cognitive load while supporting preemptive traffic light alerts and real-time vehicle monitoring for cyclist safety. The AI engine adapts to spontaneous needs, like adding waypoints for coffee stops with instant ETA recalculations, and provides hyperlocal terrain analytics for runners. Dynamic pedestrian navigation personalizes recommendations using biometric data and preferences, maintaining visual clarity in complex environments. This partnership is expected to set a benchmark for AR-integrated mobility solutions, with automotive spatial navigation features planned for Q3 that could disrupt the $21B HUD market through affordable wearable adoption.