Meta launches smart glasses with built-in screen: Check price, specs, more

On September 17, Meta Platforms, led by Mark Zuckerberg, introduced its latest innovation: the Meta Ray-Ban Display smart glasses. This model marks the company's first foray into eyewear featuring an integrated screen, with Chief Technology Officer Andrew Bosworth declaring it 'the first serious product' in this category, according to a Bloomberg report. The goal behind this new device is to shift certain functionalities traditionally handled by smartphones into the realm of smart eyewear. Bosworth emphasized the convenience, stating, 'This feels like the kind of thing where you can start to keep your phone in your pocket more and more throughout the day.' While he acknowledged that smartphones are here to stay, he believes that glasses provide a more accessible way to engage with popular features. Set to retail at $799, the Meta Ray-Ban Display will officially hit shelves on September 30, complete with a wristband. Initially, Meta plans to direct customers to physical retail locations for fitting and onboarding, with online sales expected to follow. The glasses will be available in two sizes and two color choices: classic black and a unique sand shade. Major retailers such as Ray-Ban, LensCrafters International Inc., Best Buy Co., and select Verizon Communications Inc. outlets will carry the product. This launch is a significant move for Meta as it aims to establish a consumer technology ecosystem akin to that of industry giants like Apple and Alphabet. Bosworth shared ambitious sales expectations, predicting over 100,000 units sold by the end of next year and expressing confidence that the company will sell every unit produced. He remarked, 'We really feel like we’ve captured something, a zeitgeist, at the right time with the AI boom coming.' The focus, according to him, is on appealing to individuals who will actively use the glasses, rather than mere technology enthusiasts. In a related discussion, Alex Himel, who oversees the glasses project under Bosworth, expressed optimism about the future of AI glasses, stating he anticipates they will achieve 'mainstream traction' by the end of the decade.