Meta Glasses get more affordable with new frames starting at $299
Meta is lowering the entry price for its smart glasses by dropping Ray-Ban for some of them
👓 Meta is launching more affordable versions of its smart glasses
🤝 The company partnered directly with EssilorLuxottica to create them
😎 The frames are stylish and offer all the same technology as Meta Ray-Bans, minus the “Ray-Bans” part
👩🔬 There’s even a pair made in collaboration with Kylie Jenner
💰 The new Meta Glasses start at $299 and are on sale today
Meta is expanding its portfolio of smart glasses to reach people with tighter budgets. Today, the company announced a new range of Meta Glasses designed in partnership with EssilorLuxottica, the parent company of brands like Ray-Ban and Oakley. The new glasses don’t come with a brand name besides Meta (and EssilorLuxottica, which is printed in barely visible ink on the inner frame), helping Meta to lower the price without sacrificing features. How much cheaper are they? About $80 compared to traditional Meta Ray-Bans.
Meta wanted to make its smart glasses more accessible to folks on tighter budgets, and the best way to do that was to drop the eyeglass brand names and simply work with EssilorLuxottica to design them. Alex Himel, Meta’s vice president of wearables, told The Verge that the company explored lower-cost brands in EssilorLuxottica’s lineup, but they weren’t quite as well-known as Ray-Ban or Oakley, so it stuck with “Meta Glasses” in the end.
There are three different frame styles to pick from: Meta Adventurer, Meta Fury, and a special Meta Starfire version that was made in collaboration with Kylie Jenner. Each are available in various colors and lens options, and you can add your prescription if needed. They also come with adjustable nose pads and a couple of different sizes to fit your face better.
You get all the same features you’d expect in a pair of Meta Glasses. They come with speakers and microphones for interacting with Meta AI, the camera can record videos in up to 3K resolution, and the battery lasts up to eight hours on a charge. You get a charging case with each pair that, admittedly, looks more generic than the case you get with Meta Ray-Bans, although the special Kylie Jenner pair does come with a mirror in the case’s flap. The case supplies up to 40 additional hours of battery life.
Meta AI is getting a big upgrade with the new Meta Glasses. The company is finally incorporating its Muse Spark AI model that makes interacting with Meta AI feel more natural and less robotic. It’s a similar shift that Alexa and Siri have gone in to make interacting with voice assistants feel like talking to a human.
“With this version of Meta AI, your AI glasses will deliver smarter answers on everything from sports scores to local restaurant picks, better understand what you’re seeing, and help manage your daily life effortlessly — whether you’re building healthy habits, managing your calendar, or navigating a busy schedule hands-free,” the company shared in a press release.
The new model ships out of the box on the new Meta Glasses and is now being rolled out to existing Meta Ray-Ban and Oakley users in the US. In addition, Meta says that turn-by-turn pedestrian directions will be coming to Meta glasses without displays soon, although we don’t have a concrete date.
Meta is also ramping up its privacy efforts. The company’s glasses have been under heavy scrutiny by lawmakers and the public for being a tool that can lead to an uptick in harassment by bad actors. It’s unclear what adjustments Meta plans to make, but the company is aware that safety must come first with a pair of glasses with a camera on them.
The new Meta Glasses are available starting today in various countries at Meta.com, Best Buy, Amazon, Lenscrafters, Sunglasses Hut, and other retailers. The Meta Adventurer and Fury frames start at $299, while the Starfire Kylie Edition start at $399. There’s also a new Meta Glasses Charging Stand that makes it easy to charge your glasses on your nightstand, although there’s no word on availability just yet.
Max Buondonno is an editor at The Shortcut and co-host of The Shortcut Live. He’s been reporting on the latest consumer technology since 2015, with his work featured on CNN Underscored, ZDNET, How-To Geek, XDA, TheStreet, and more. Follow him on X @LegendaryScoop and Instagram @LegendaryScoop.