By Swetha Anil Kumar
A new range of consumer-ready smart glasses powered by its artificial intelligence (AI) tech, with a built-in display, has been unveiled by Meta, seeking to extend the momentum of its Ray-Ban line, which they claim will be a must-have accessory for users around the world.
Despite some demo problems, CEO Mark Zuckerberg received applause while showing off the Meta Ray-Ban Display and a new wristband controller at its annual developers conference “Meta’s Connect”, held at its Menlo Park, California, headquarters.
Meta has been successful with its smart glasses, and Zuckerberg described them as the perfect way for humans to reach for the AI promise of “superintelligence.”
The new smart glasses, unlike previous models, come with a full-colour high-resolution screen in one lens and have a small digital display in the right lens where users can conduct video calls and see messages. Apart from this, it also features a 12-megapixel camera. The starting rate is $799 and will be available in stores on September 30. A wristband that translates hand gestures into commands such as responding to texts and calls is included in the price.
Meta also unveiled on Wednesday a new pair of Oakley-branded smart sports glasses called Vanguard, priced at $499, aimed at athletes. The device integrates with fitness platforms such as Garmin and Strava and is designed for fitness and outdoor activities, to deliver real-time training stats and post-workout summaries, and offers nine hours of battery life. It will be made available from October 21, 2025.
It also updated its previous Ray-Ban line, introducing the Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2, priced at $379, for users who want a more familiar option. Although it does not have a built-in display, it now offers almost twice the battery life of the earlier generation and a better camera at $379, higher than the previous generation’s $299 price.
Thanks to demand for the cheaper Ray-Bans, it is in line with the Ray-Ban owner EssilorLuxottica, as IDC forecasts worldwide shipments of augmented reality/virtual reality headsets and display-less smart glasses will increase by 39.2% in 2025 to 14.3 million units, with Meta driving much of the growth.