Meta, in collaboration with Ray-Ban, has unveiled their latest innovation: the Meta Ray-Ban Smart Glasses. Unlike their previous iteration known as “Stories,” these smart glasses are designed to seamlessly blend into everyday life, offering an intriguing mix of audio features and camera capabilities.
Priced at $299 and set to hit the market on October 17, these smart glasses come with a personalized audio system, akin to Amazon’s Echo Frames and Bose Tempo series. They aim to replace traditional headphones, offering clear, private music playback while incorporating an advanced microphone setup, ensuring crystal-clear calls and voice commands.
The glasses also feature a significant camera upgrade. Equipped with 12-megapixel lenses and the ability to shoot 1080p videos, these glasses enable users to capture their experiences vividly. With 32GB of built-in storage, they can store up to 500 photos and 100 30-second videos. Moreover, the glasses allow for seamless sharing through the Meta View app and permit effortless live streaming to Facebook or Instagram, indicating a shift toward enhancing creativity and interaction.
However, the introduction of live streaming raises concerns about privacy, an issue that smart glasses have grappled with since their inception. Meta’s attempt to position these glasses as creative tools raises questions about their practical applications, especially considering the challenges faced by previous iterations.
Aesthetics play a significant role in wearable technology, and Meta and Ray-Ban have ensured their new designs cater to various tastes. The smart glasses come in colors like “matte denim” and “caramel” and offer different lens options. The inclusion of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1 processor, providing “artificial intelligence on glass,” ensures efficient performance.
While it’s yet to be seen if “audio in glasses” or “camera on your face” will become mainstream, these aesthetically pleasing smart glasses, with improved functionality and style, are a step toward a future where wearable tech seamlessly integrates into our lives. Whether they become a ubiquitous accessory or a niche gadget remains to be seen, but for now, they offer an intriguing glimpse into the potential future of smart eyewear.
