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Meta has just unveiled the newest version of its popular Ray-Ban smart glasses during its annual Meta Connect at its headquarters in Menlo Park, California.
Led by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Meta Connect is an annual developer conference spanning two days that focuses on Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and the Metaverse — the concept that pushed Facebook to rebrand its entire company.
Previously called Oculus Connect, it was rebranded after the switch to Meta back in 2021.
This highly anticipated announcement comes after several rumours have been swirling about what new features the smart specs would include. If you’re unfamiliar with smart glasses, think of them as AI-powered eyewear that blends style with functionality. They allow you to capture photos and videos completely hands-free, listen to music, take phone calls, and access information on the go.
With built-in voice activation, these glasses can handle real-time translations, object recognition, and contextual assistance – essentially giving you a lightweight wearable AI assistant.
So, what's new about this particular pair?
Named Meta Ray-Ban Display, these are second-generation smart glasses that feature a high-resolution, colourful screen in the top right lens, where you can view text messages, read live captions, and take video calls
|META PRESS OFFICE
Named Meta Ray-Ban Display, this new generation of smart glasses is the first to sport a high-resolution, colourful screen in the top right lens. This lets you view text messages, read live captions, and take video calls directly from the wearable. You can also see walking directions to help you navigate new areas.
The specs let you see through the viewfinder of the built-in camera for the first time. That camera has enjoyed a boost to 12 megapixels too, so each photo you take should be crisp and clear.
According to Meta, the colour display makes it easy to select and share your favourite photos and videos directly from the AI-powered glasses too.
Meta Neural Band lets you control the experience inside your glasses with a few flicks of the wirst
|META PRESS OFFICE
You'll be able to wear the tech specs for up to six hours on a single charge, or a total of 30 hours when you use the bundled charging case, which is double the capacity of the first generation. That charging case is collapsible for the first time, so it'll be easy to keep in your back pocket while you're wearing the sunnies.
In addition to the glasses, Meta also announced a first-ever wristband, dubbed Meta Neural Band, which can be paired with the specs and let you scroll and click with flicks of the wrist. Meta also said you'll eventually be able to write out complete text messages using a few simple hand gestures.
This new Meta wristband is designed to be compatible with the brand new second-generation Ray-Ban glasses
|META PRESS OFFICE
If you want to treat yourself to these new Meta glasses, you're in for a wait. Unfortunately, the UK won't get the Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses until sometime in early 2026.
However, US shoppers can begin buying them on September 30, 2025.
The launch price of the new model is $799 in the US, which would roughly convert to £590 in the UK.
Buy the Ray-Ban Meta first-generation glasses and sunglasses
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Ray-Ban Meta glasses
$299
Meta AI glasses made their initial appearance in 2021, but it wasn't until the release of Meta Ray-Ban glasses in 2024 that they began flying off the shelves.
"We thought that Ray-Ban Meta was probably going to sell three or five times more than the first version did. And we just dramatically underestimated it," said Mr. Zuckerberg.
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Meta has partnered with French-Italian brand EssilorLuxottica since 2019 to build two generations of Ray-Ban-branded smart glasses. According to Mr. Zuckerberg, sales of the latest iteration of these sunnies were going "very well", with demand much stronger than expected.
These Ray-Ban sunglasses let you take photographs and video from a first-person perspective with a hands-free voice command, making them a hit with social media content creators and parents.
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