Meta’s $799 Ray-Ban Display Glasses Bring AI to Wearables

New smart specs reveal built-in display and wristband control, Meta leans hard into wearables at Connect 2025

Meta introduced at its Connect 2025 conference a consumer-ready version of smart glasses with a built-in display in the lens and a neural wristband controller. Priced at $799, the glasses will launch in the U.S. on September 30, marking a key step in Meta’s wearable push amid AI-hardware competition and regulatory scrutiny.

What Meta Unveiled

• The Meta Ray-Ban Display smart glasses feature a full-color display in the right lens for tasks such as notifications, navigation, translating text, and live captions. Tasks are controlled via a neural wristband that responds to subtle hand and gesture movements.
• Battery life is improved over previous Ray-Ban AI-glasses iterations, though exact hours depend on usage.
• Also unveiled were two other models: Oakley Meta Vanguard, aimed at athletes with sport-oriented features, and updated battery-life/range versions of the older Ray-Ban models without displays.

Market Implications & Competitive Landscape

• Tech hardware & AR/AI wearables: Meta’s move adds momentum to the nascent market for AI-powered wearable displays. Suppliers of optics, sensors, and gesture control systems may see demand rise. Analysts believe this product could serve as a stepping stone toward more advanced AR/VR “always-on” devices.
• Consumer adoption & price sensitivity: The $799 price point places the glasses in premium territory. Adoption may be constrained early due to cost, battery life, and user comfort (size, weight). However, Meta likely sees this as proof of concept.
• Regulation & privacy concerns: Smart glasses raise concerns around audio/video recording, data handling, and user consent, especially when always-on sensors or cameras are involved. Expect regulatory scrutiny and possibly safety or privacy features to be insisted upon.
• Competition: Meta now competes more directly with other AR/AI wearables and display-equipped glasses from companies like Google, Apple, and other emerging players. Performance, user experience, and ecosystem (apps, services) will matter as much as hardware.

Risks & What to Watch

• Actual performance under normal use: display visibility in bright light, latency, gesture accuracy via wristband, battery degradation, etc.
• Use-cases vs expectations: whether consumers find enough utility to justify wearing display glasses daily. Notifications and navigation are useful, but novelty often fades unless seamless.
• Regulatory or safety-related backlash, especially regarding recording, privacy, or misuse, could slow rollout or trigger policy pushback.
• Competition in pricing or features; if rivals release similar devices cheaper or more capable, Meta may need to iterate quickly.

In summary, Meta’s Ray-Ban Display marks a milestone in wearable AI tech, offering display functionality in a style familiar to consumers, paired with a gestural wristband. While $799 is steep and some features may be early in maturity, the product underscores Meta’s commitment to integrating AI into everyday wearables. The core theme: the smart glasses era is taking a meaningful step forward, from theory and labs into swappable accessories and walking-around utility.