Meta has launched a new line of AI-powered smart glasses as part of its push to make wearable technology a mainstream accessory worldwide.
Speaking at the company’s annual developer event, Meta Connect, CEO Mark Zuckerberg introduced several new devices in collaboration with Ray-Ban and Oakley. Among them were the Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses, which feature a full-color, high-resolution screen in one lens for video calls and messaging, and a neural wristband that allows users to send messages and perform tasks with small hand gestures.
The Meta Ray-Ban Display will be available this month for $799 (£586)—a higher price point than Meta’s earlier smart glasses. The company also unveiled the $499 Oakley Meta Vanguard glasses, designed for sports enthusiasts, and the second generation of Ray-Ban Meta glasses, priced at $379.
Meta said it has already sold around two million pairs of smart glasses since 2023, though analysts remain cautious about adoption. CCS Insight’s Leo Gebbie noted that earlier Ray-Ban models succeeded because they were “easy to use, inconspicuous, and relatively affordable.”
The launch comes as Meta continues its massive investment in artificial intelligence, with Zuckerberg confirming plans to spend hundreds of billions of dollars on U.S.-based AI data centers, some nearly the size of Manhattan. The company is also competing for top AI talent and has openly stated its goal to build “superintelligence” capable of surpassing human intelligence.
Despite ambitious plans, the event highlighted some hiccups. During a live demo, a WhatsApp call to the Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses repeatedly failed. Zuckerberg admitted, “I don’t know what to tell you guys. I keep on messing this up.”
Outside the conference, Meta faced protests at its New York headquarters. Parents and activists demanded stronger safeguards for children on social media platforms after former Meta safety researchers testified to the U.S. Senate that the company downplayed risks to children from its VR products. Meta has denied the allegations, calling them “nonsense.”
Analysts say smart glasses may succeed where Meta’s costly Metaverse project struggled. “Unlike VR headsets, glasses are an everyday, non-cumbersome form factor,” said Forrester VP Mike Proulx. Still, he cautioned that Meta must prove to consumers that AI glasses are worth the cost.
Zuckerberg described the technology as a “huge scientific breakthrough,” framing smart glasses as the company’s key platform for embedding Meta AI into daily life.
