At its annual Meta Connect event, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg unveiled a new line of smart glasses developed with Ray-Ban. These are the first glasses from the partnership to feature a built-in augmented reality (AR) display, projecting information directly onto the lens.
The new model, called the Meta Ray-Ban Display, uses a classic Wayfarer design to hide its advanced technology. Despite their normal appearance, the glasses house a camera, speakers, and a microphone. The key feature is a small, color display projected onto the inside of the right lens. This display shows information like text, images, or live video calls just below the wearer’s line of sight. It is not visible to people looking at the glasses from the outside.
For privacy and security purposes, an LED light on the front will light up to notify others when the camera is recording.
Zuckerberg demonstrated the glasses at the event, stating they are ideal for artificial intelligence because they can see and hear what the user experiences. The demo experienced some technical issues, which Zuckerberg said were due to poor WiFi at the venue.
Users can control the Meta Ray-Ban Display through voice commands or a touchpad on the arm. It also comes with an optional accessory called the “Neural Band,” a water-resistant bracelet that reads electrical signals from the forearm. This allows users to control the glasses with hand gestures like pinches, swipes, and taps. Later this year, an update will even allow users to write in the air with their finger as if it were a pen.
For it to work, the Meta Ray-Ban Display smart glasses need to be connected to an Android or iPhone via Bluetooth. They work with Meta’s apps like WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram for messages and video calls. Other features include live conversation captions and translations, walking directions, music controls, and using the display as a viewfinder for photos.
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The built-in AI assistant can answer questions, showing text or image responses on the display. For example, it can identify a painting or provide a step-by-step recipe by looking at the ingredients through the camera.
The glasses have a battery life of up to six hours with mixed use. It comes with a collapsible charging case that provides additional juice for a total of up to 30 hours of uptime.
The Meta Ray-Ban Display smart glasses will go on sale in the United States on September 30. It will start at a price tag of $799(~Php47,000). They are scheduled to become available in the UK, France, Italy, and Canada in early 2026.