With privacy concerns over smart glasses mounting, Meta is taking the wraps off its first pair without a camera. Instead of photos, videos, and computer vision, Ray-Ban Meta Audio, as it’s being called, focuses on, well… audio.
While the glasses are similar to Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses in pretty much every other way, they do have some distinct advantages. For one, they’re a bit lighter, clocking in at 43g instead of 49g or 53g (depending on different styles and sizes). I tried a pair on, and while the weight difference doesn’t seem that drastic, they definitely felt a little bit lighter on my face.
Arguably the biggest difference is the battery life, though. Meta says the Ray-Ban Meta Audio glasses get up to 12 hours on a single charge—three more hours than the Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3 AI glasses, which get nine hours maximum.
In lieu of photos/videos and computer vision, the Ray-Ban Audio glasses focus on all the other stuff AI glasses are designed to do. That includes (duh) audio, like playing songs and taking calls, but also AI. You can, of course, talk to Meta AI on the glasses, allowing you to do typical voice assistant stuff like check the weather, search the web, or skip songs.
There are kind of a ton of different options for looks, too. Altogether, the Ray-Ban Meta Audio are available in 23 color and lens combinations, and there are two styles—the Clubmaster, which Meta calls an “iconic Ray-Ban style with a retro-inspired silhouette,” and Burbank, which it describes as a “classic, timeless rectangle style.” Both support prescription lenses.
Probably the most interesting part of Ray-Ban Audio isn’t necessarily what the smart glasses do; it’s the fact that they even exist. Meta didn’t say the reason it’s making audio glasses is because people are worried about cameras and the privacy implications they come with, but we can safely read between the lines on this one. No cameras means fewer people worried that you’re recording them and a lot less scrutiny. It also means… no cameras.
That could be a dealbreaker for some, but Meta seems intent on blanketing the market, which is good news if you’re in it for the audio and the AI and don’t want to have to wonder if you can go on a cruise ship with your new AI glasses.
Ray-Ban Meta Audio starts shipping on Oct. 13, and you can pre-order today for $349.
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