Meta Removes the Camera From Its New AI Glasses
Meta showed off camera-free smart glasses at its Connect event on Wednesday, September 23. The model is called Ray-Ban Meta Audio. It starts at $349, opened for pre-order at the event, and ships October 13.
Built on a camera, now selling without one
Meta’s glasses business grew around a camera. Sales of the glasses Meta co-developed with EssilorLuxottica surged to more than 7 million last year, according to Reuters. Silicon Republic reports that Meta held more than 80 percent of global smart glasses shipments in the second half of last year.
The growth came with friction. Reuters reports that several UK restaurants, pubs and theaters restrict the glasses, and that a proposed class action in California alleges Meta misled users about privacy protections. TNW notes Meta contests the allegations. New York has banned recording-capable smart glasses from all of its state courts.
Meta’s main safeguard was a light that turns on while the camera records. Meta pushed an update that disables the camera if the light is tampered with, but Engadget showed that a $2 sticker can still hide it.
Less inside, so less to carry
Take out the cameras and the frames get lighter and slimmer. Meta says they can also look more like traditional eyewear and last longer between charges.
The Audio model weighs 43 grams, and Meta calls it its lightest and slimmest AI glasses yet. Meta rates it at up to 12 hours on a single charge, with the charging case adding up to 48 more. It comes in two styles, Clubmaster and Burbank, across 23 color and lens combinations.
Buyers who still want a camera have another option. Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 3) starts at $449 and has a 12 MP camera and a six-microphone array. Meta lists longer battery life and a new action button. Forbes puts the battery at up to nine hours, an hour more than Gen 2.
The privacy question did not go away
Reuters reported that the camera-free model was expected amid growing concern about devices that can record people without their consent. Forrester analyst Kate Winick said the keynote barely acknowledged the problem and introduced no new privacy features for the public.
Some analysts told Reuters they doubt that removing the camera alone settles concerns about AI devices that can still record audio. They also said losing the camera could blunt demand, since photo and video capture ranks among the most popular features of the glasses.
A voice for the small stuff
Users talk to Meta AI by voice for help with tasks. The glasses also handle calls and music playback. Meta says other features are built around everyday activities.
The announcement video calls the assistant Meta AI. Meta’s own newsroom says it is bringing its Muse personal AI agent to its glasses in the coming months. Meta also showed Muse Charm, a small device for talking to Muse. Meta says it fits in a pocket and that it will share more later this year. TNW reports that a fingerprint tap starts a conversation and that shipping is planned for December. Benzinga says around the holidays. No price has been disclosed.
Hearing help in a frame
Meta describes hearing enhancement as FDA-cleared software that helps adults with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss hear better. It can be set up at home in minutes, with no clinic visit or prescription. Users take a guided hearing test in the app, and the glasses tune amplification to the results.
Zuckerberg said one in six American adults has some form of hearing loss. He wrote on X that the glasses are medical grade and cost a fraction of a normal hearing aid.
The feature launches in the US later this year on supported AI glasses, first on Meta Glasses. Engadget reports that the Ray-Ban models are not included at the start. Gear Live says Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 3) and Ray-Ban Meta Audio get it after that.
Meta lists a price of $149.99, or access through a Meta One subscription. Engadget reports a 30-day free trial. Gear Live notes the fee was left out of the keynote.
More styles, and a screen for the desk
Meta says it aims to offer more than 100 styles of AI glasses by the end of the year, across Ray-Ban, Oakley and Meta Glasses. Meta calls its new Adventurer its most affordable pair of Meta Glasses yet. TNW reports it starts at $249 and goes on sale October 23.
Meta also showed lightweight glasses built for private cinemas and multiple virtual monitors, plus gaming. The Meta VR Glasses weigh about 100 grams, roughly the same as a deck of cards, according to Meta. TNW reports they connect to a pocket-sized puck that houses the processor and battery, which lasts up to three hours of video playback. The glasses cost $1,299 and arrive in spring 2027.
Meta says these innovations are a step toward a more connected future.
