Meta launches affordable smart glasses, Meta Glasses, starting at $299

Meta launches affordable smart glasses, Meta Glasses, starting at $299">

Meta on Tuesday said it’s launching a new line of smart glasses, dubbed Meta Glasses, starting at $299. These glasses are being made in partnership with EssilorLuxottica, but unlike the tech giant’s other smart glasses, they don’t carry Ray-Ban or Oakley branding. The Meta Glasses are available in several countries starting today in a variety of color and lens combinations.

Meta has been continuing its push into wearables as competition in the space heats up. Meta and EssilorLuxottica are the largest players in the space, with an estimated market share of more than 80%, according to data from Counterpoint Research. The Meta Glasses don’t have a screen, but they come with a camera and personal speakers.

There’s a dedicated button that by default triggers the Meta AI assistant, or you can customize the button to launch a specific feature. Meta claims these new glasses have over eight hours of battery life, and the on-the-go charging case provides up to 40 hours of additional usage. The first pair of the new glasses, called the “Meta Adventurer,” features a rectangular shape, and is available in standard and large sizes.

The “Meta Fury” frame is boxier, resembling popular styles of men’s glasses. The most notable are “Meta Glasses by Kylie,” which feature a slim oval frame designed in collaboration with American model Kylie Jenner. Meta says the Meta AI assistant on these new glasses can answer questions about everything from sports scores to local restaurant picks, can understand what you’re seeing, and can help manage your daily life.

The company said these display-less glasses will soon support the “Pedestrian navigation” feature, which provides turn-by-turn directions for walking around. Meta’s also adding support for 14 new languages for its live translation feature, including Japanese, Chinese (Mandarin), Hindi, and Korean. Meta’s new smart glass range comes a week after Snap unveiled Specs, its long-awaited consumer smart glasses, at a hefty $2,195 price tag.

Why this matters: Meta's entry into the smart glasses market with an affordable option has significant implications for the industry. With a price point of $299, Meta Glasses are poised to disrupt the market, making smart glasses more accessible to a wider audience. This move puts pressure on competitors, such as Snap, which recently launched its high-end Specs glasses at a hefty $2,195 price tag.

For developers and businesses, Meta's smart glasses offer new opportunities for creating innovative applications and experiences. For consumers, the Meta Glasses provide a more affordable and stylish way to access AI-powered features and interact with their surroundings. However, questions remain about the adoption rate of smart glasses and how they will integrate into daily life.