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Meta has launched its first smart glasses with a screen integrated into the frame. It marks a major advancement towards making AI-driven eyewear a common consumer item. The newly launched Meta Ray-Ban Display costs $799 and will be available starting September 30.
These AI glasses enable users to read text messages, make video calls, view turn-by-turn maps, access Meta’s AI assistant, control music, capture photos, and even utilize a digital camera viewfinder. A new neural wristband works as the primary control interface, reading hand movements such as pinches, swipes, and twists.
With a further update, people can call up Meta’s AI with a double tap, control volume in mid-air, or even ‘type’ words in space.
Another highlight is live captioning with real-time translations, positioning the glasses as a tool for accessibility and global communication. Video calling shows both the contact and the wearer’s perspective simultaneously.
Chief Technology Officer Andrew Bosworth called the product ‘the first serious premium device’ in its class. Meta is selling the glasses as a means to reduce smartphone use for daily activities. “This feels like the kind of thing where you can keep your phone in your pocket more and more,” Bosworth said.
The screen features a 20-degree field of view with a 600x600-pixel resolution, offering visibility in all but the most extreme outdoor conditions. Brightness falters in direct sunlight, and battery life is limited to six hours, with four further recharges from the case.
The launch further strengthens Meta’s multi-billion-dollar expansion into wearables, as it aims to compete with consumer ecosystems similar to those of Apple and Google. Meta has made a $3.5 billion investment in glasses behemoth EssilorLuxottica, its partner on the Ray-Ban brand. EssilorLuxottica was initially hesitant to adopt the display model, but the tech leader aligned design standards with Ray-Ban’s premium reputation.
The device is launched with support for Messenger, WhatsApp, and Spotify, while Instagram Reels and additional apps will follow soon. Future editions might include cellular connectivity, dual screens, and even an app store.
Though Google Glass flopped over a decade ago, competitors such as Apple, Samsung, and Xreal are creating their own models. Bosworth believes that Meta will sell more than 100,000 units in the first year, describing the product as timely during the AI boom.
The Ray-Ban Meta glasses price varies for non-display variants, such as the model that features 3K video capture and an Oakley Vanguard sports version. As a package, the range underscores Meta’s wager that wearable tech will be the foundation of the next generation of computing.
Also Read: Amazon’s New AR Glasses Could Challenge Meta and Change Wearables Forever
Apart from glasses, Meta Reality Labs is also testing smartwatches and developing AR contact lenses, although their commercial feasibility is still in question. Meanwhile, the Ray-Ban Display is currently a precursor to the tech giant’s upcoming AR glasses in 2027.
