Meta Platforms on Wednesday revealed its first consumer-focused smart glasses equipped with a built-in digital display, signaling a push to build on the popularity of its Ray-Ban line, one of the most notable early successes of the artificial intelligence boom.
At Meta’s Connect conference in Menlo Park, CEO Mark Zuckerberg introduced the new Meta Ray-Ban Display and a wristband controller. The demonstration drew applause, despite some technical hiccups during the live presentation.
“Glasses are the ideal form factor for personal superintelligence, because they let you stay present in the moment while getting access to all of these AI capabilities that make you smarter, help you communicate better, improve your memory, improve your senses, and more,” Zuckerberg said.
The Ray-Ban Display features a compact screen on the right lens for quick notifications. Priced at $799, the glasses will arrive in stores on September 30 and include a wristband that converts hand gestures into functions such as answering calls or replying to texts.
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Expanding AI Ambitions Amid Challenges
The unveiling underscores Meta’s determination to stay competitive in the escalating AI race, where rivals such as OpenAI and Alphabet’s Google have advanced faster in deploying sophisticated models.
To catch up, Zuckerberg has invested tens of billions of dollars in AI hardware and sought top engineers from competing firms.
The timing comes as Meta faces mounting scrutiny over its approach to youth safety. In recent months, reports have highlighted troubling chatbot interactions with children and claims that staff were discouraged from researching the potential harms of virtual reality on younger users.
In addition to the Display, Meta introduced Oakley Vanguard glasses aimed at athletes. These $499 sports-focused glasses sync with Garmin and Strava, offering real-time performance tracking, post-session summaries, and nine hours of battery life.
Launch is scheduled for October 21. Meta also refreshed its earlier Ray-Ban line, now priced at $379, with double the battery life and an improved camera.
Analysts remain cautious about strong near-term sales but view the Display as a stepping stone toward Meta’s ambitious “Orion” glasses slated for 2027.
Forrester’s Mike Proulx compared the launch to Apple’s rollout of the smartwatch, calling glasses “an everyday, non-cumbersome form factor.”
Still, challenges remain. During the demo, Zuckerberg fumbled a call through the glasses, remarking, “I don’t know what to tell you guys. I keep on messing this up,” earning supportive cheers from the crowd.
IDC predicts global shipments of AR/VR devices and smart glasses without displays will surge by 39.2% in 2025 to 14.3 million units, with Meta expected to benefit largely from demand for its more affordable Ray-Bans built with EssilorLuxottica.
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