Ray-Ban Meta Audio Are Meta's First Smart Glasses Without a Camera
Meta's newest glasses drop the camera entirely in favour of open-ear audio and AI, alongside a third-generation Ray-Ban Meta and a wave of new styles.
Smart glasses with cameras have been one of the surprise hits of the AI era, but not everyone is comfortable wearing, or standing next to, a camera on someone's face. At Connect this week, Meta addressed that head-on with Ray-Ban Meta Audio, its first AI glasses with no camera at all.
Audio first
Ray-Ban Meta Audio keep the open-ear speakers, microphones and Meta AI assistant of the camera models, so you can listen to music, take calls and ask questions hands-free, but without the lens on the front. They support prescription lenses, which makes them a genuine everyday option for people who already wear glasses. In the US they cost US$349, with shipping from 13 October.
A third-generation Ray-Ban Meta
For those who do want to capture photos and video, Meta also announced Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 3) at US$449. The broader push is on choice: through its partnership with EssilorLuxottica, Meta says it will offer more than 100 different glasses options across Ray-Ban, Oakley and its own Meta Glasses line by the end of the year, including lighter frames with slimmer designs and longer battery life.
More useful software
Meta also announced a hearing assistance feature for its glasses, accessibility controls including audio balance and mono audio, and a connection to Muse, its new personal AI agent, which is designed to help with everyday tasks such as planning and habit building.
What about Australia?
Meta's AI glasses already sell locally, with Meta Glasses starting at A$389 on Meta's Australian store. Australian pricing and timing for Ray-Ban Meta Audio and the Gen 3 model had not been confirmed at the time of writing, so expect local details closer to their rollout.
