Meta’s New AI Smart Glasses Broaden the Smart Accessory Horizon
The era of smart wearables just hit a new milestone—right on the bridge of your nose. During Meta Connect 2025, CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed the latest leap in AI-based eyewear: the Meta Ray-Ban Display, plus the new Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 and Oakley Meta Vanguard styles. These shades are more than a last-minute accessory; they are a serious contender for the title of the next essential computing screen, merging killer AI with a look that you’ll actually want to wear every day.
Meta has poured billions into virtual reality gear, and now that money is backing a smart strategy: making tech that feels useful the minute you leave the store. The new glasses pack gesture-control wristbands, super-smart micro-displays, and next-level AI smarts that promise to overlay the digital team you trust most right on top of the real world. Will they keep their promise, though? Time to look under the hood.
The Flagship Innovation: Meta Ray-Ban Display Smart Glasses
Meta stole the show at the 2025 Meta Connect event by unveiling the next-gen Meta Ray-Ban Display—smart glasses that finally feel ready for everyone. At $799, these stylish specs cram a clear augmented reality screen into the right lens, so you can read texts, get turn-by-turn directions, hop into video calls, or translate sentences on the fly without ever touching your phone.

Key Features
Heads-Up Display: The info you see is visible only to you, keeping your life private while offering a dashboard right on the lens. Whether you get a reminder or answer a call, the feed adjusts without interrupting your view of the real world.
Neural Wristband Control: Slip on the sleek wristband, and a tiny sensor picks up the tiny muscle twitches in your hand. A quick pinch, finger swipe, or even a relaxed hold flicks through playlists, texts, and notifications—no voice commands or screens needed.
Advanced AI Integration: Meta AI handles your on-the-spot queries, points out nearby cafés with ratings, or even re-edits that sunset sparkle photo in a totally fresh style. The glasses keep figuring you out, meaning the experience grows smarter the more you wear them.
Battery Life: The smart glasses deliver six hours of general use. The included charging case adds another 30 hours. The wristband, which tracks activity and notifications, runs for a whole 18 hours on a single charge.
Even though the launch event showed a few glitches, the possibilities for the glasses remain impressive. Zuckerberg called them the “perfect shape for personal superintelligence,” stressing their knack for letting people stay in the moment while instantly tapping AI-powered help.
New Models: Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 and Oakley Meta Vanguard

Meta didn’t stop at the main Display version. Two extra smart glasses were rolled out for more personalized options:
- Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2
The second-gen version of the best-selling original keeps the timeless Ray-Ban look but packs smart upgrades:
- Expanded Battery: Enjoy up to 8 hours of nonstop use, plus a case that holds another 48 hours of charge.
- Sharpened Camera: Snap 3K videos, with slow-mo and hyperlapse modes arriving later this year.
- Talk Enhancement: The glasses boost the voice of the person you’re face-to-face with, even when background noise swells.
These stylish specs start at $379, making Meta’s wearable world reachable for more budgets.
Oakley Meta Vanguard
If you live for the thrill—or the thrill lives for you—meet the Oakley Meta Vanguard. These smart sunglasses slap high-tech right into the adventure DNA. Here’s the scoop:
- Perfect-Focus Capture: The tiny 3K camera sits snug on the nose bridge. No shaky glove and helmet shots; you get that rock-solid POV everyone envies on social.
- Hustle Integration: Pair with Garmin or Strava and you’re using live heart rate, lap times, and lap times for free. The best part? Auto-capture that highlight reel the next time you crush that segment.
- Built for Battle: The Meta Vanguard shrugs off water, dirt, and sweat, and the snug fit hugs your face like the last sip of a protein shake after leg day.
At $499, you’re shelling out a bit. But if tech, adventure, and vanity are your hobbies, that’s a steal.
Download a new skill and go on Attribute Adventure.
The Tech That Makes It Go

Meta built this around genuine athlete sweat.
AI and Software
Meta AI runs the behind-the-scenes hustle. Here’s what it’s been cranking out:
- Live Translation: Chat with that random climbing duo from Spain? No problemo—get a multilingual convo in real time.
- Photo Restyling: Snap that epic sunset ride and let the AI slap a watercolor filter right onto your memory.
- Calendar Check: By linking Google or Outlook, a no-look “what’s next” on your daily agenda is a breezy “hey, you’re booked in 5” from the assistant without you ever fumbling for your device.
When it’s camera time, the assistant’s already looking out for you, making the Meta Vanguard the buddy that’s always two seconds ahead and ready to ride shot-gun.
Hardware and Design
Meta’s collaboration with EssilorLuxottica, the parent company of Ray-Ban and Oakley, guarantees that the new smart glasses blend utility and style. The Display version resembles the iconic Wayfarer silhouette, with only a barely noticeable bump in heaviness. Keeping that level of craftsmanship is key—tech that screams “look at me!” scares away buyers, a lesson we learned from the original Google Glass.
Neural Wristband
The neural wristband opens a new chapter in wearable interaction. By measuring electrical signals in the forearm, it lets users flick a wrist, tap a finger, or flick a finger to send a command to the glasses. Meta has been polishing this idea across research labs for years, and the goal is to scale it to gestures as detailed as a diary doodle.
Market Context and Competition
Meta’s smart glasses are rolling into a quicksilver arena where rivals—Google, Snap, and Apple—are plotting their own releases. Yet Meta is the only one with noticeable consumer shelves. EssilorLuxottica says that Ray-Ban Meta glasses sales surged three times over in just one year, and the company is targeting the factory belts to crank out 10 million pairs by 2026.
However, challenges remain:
Price Barrier
At $799, the new Display model is more than double the MSRP of the baseline Ray-Ban Meta glasses, pushing the purchase decision for many potential buyers to the very back burner.
Developer Pipeline
For the glasses to take off, Meta will need to nurture a thriving group of developers who can build cool apps and experiences that pull people in and keep them actually wearing the shades, not just leaving them on the counter.
Privacy Pledge
As with any gadget sporting a camera, worries pop up about who’s collecting data and what they plan to do with it. Meta has added a tiny LED that lights up whenever the camera is active, yet many folks still feel uneasy letting a camera that close to their everyday life.
Even with these headwinds, investment pros think Meta has a strong play for the smart glasses crown. Justin Post from Bank of America Securities put it simply: “Glasses’ll be a way bigger deal and way more everyday than VR headsets.”
The Road Ahead
Longer-term, Meta is shooting for smart glasses to become our everyday gateway to the digital world—the new smartphone in the pocket, only way cooler. The Display is mile marker one on the road to Orion, the experimental AR specs the company revealed at the last big show, which could turn our view of reality into an interactive, information-rich experience.
Meta’s smart glasses still face the hurdle of showing users that the perks outweigh the price tag. Analyst Mike Proulx puts it simply: “Meta has to convince most people who don’t own AI glasses that the benefits outweigh the cost.”

Conclusion
Meta’s latest smart glasses mark a big step forward for wearables. With on-device AI, a sleek look, and controls that feel second-nature, they offer a peek at a future where the digital world blends with ours. Whether you’re a runner, a gadget lover, or just someone who wants updates without a phone in hand, these smart glasses are something to keep an eye on.
As the market keeps moving, one take-away is certain: these aren’t the smart glasses of a movie anymore. Smart glasses is happening now, and it’s set to reshape the way we engage with what’s around us.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/09/17/tech/meta-ai-smart-glasses-connect
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