Meta, the parent company of Facebook, is releasing their newest attempt at capturing technology that used to seem like science fiction on Oct. 17. Described as a handless smartphone, Meta partnered with Ray-Ban to release Smart Glasses. They’re capable of streaming videos, taking photographs, playing music, and each pair has AI technology embedded within.
“[Meta developers] optimized it for a hands-free, on-the-go experience,” the company said in a blog post on Sep. 27. “People can engage with Meta AI to spark creativity, get information, and control their glasses.”
The company’s Meta AI is interwoven throughout various products like WhatsApp and Messenger. On the glasses, the AI can provide language translations, identify notable locations and items a user is looking at, and upload chosen content directly to Instagram and Facebook.
Meta has released similar products, like the first generation glasses, Stories, in 2021. One of the company’s goals is to make this new product more successful than its predecessors, which noted a lack of longevity. According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, 270,000 of the 300,000 sold between Sep. 21, 2021, and Feb. 2023 are no longer in use.
According to Bentley University, their glasses were an “all-around failure,” and notes their design as part of that reasoning. Meta spoke about the design of the glasses, saying the company took careful consideration making them look like a regular pair, except with one camera on each side.
The new Smart Glasses are starting at $299 and are available for order now. Comparatively to other company’s AI glasses, this is much cheaper. Google’s Glass goes for $999.
“Sometimes we innovate by releasing something that’s never been seen before,” CEO and founder of Meta Mark Zuckerberg said. “But sometimes we innovate by taking something awesome, but super expensive, and making it so it can be affordable for everyone or even free.”
They are available to purchase at https://www.ray-ban.com/usa.
Would you buy the Smart Glasses?
