Back in 2021, Facebook (Now Meta) and Ray-Ban launched ‘Ray-Ban Stories’. It was the first-gen smart glass from these companies and the product actually failed to attract customers. Today, Meta and Ray-Ban introduced the successor with lots of improvements and capabilities to livestream videos to Facebook and Instagram.
The good thing is that Meta has designed the glasses to be your everyday glasses, not the Tech product filled with AR capabilities. There is no display either. So, these are only the glasses with a built-in camera, speaker, and mic.
Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses come in two designs: Wayfarer and Headliner. On each side, there are two round modules. On the right, it houses a 12-megapixel camera which is capable of recording 1080p videos. The left-side module houses an LED light that indicates to others that you are recording. There is also a capture button on the edge of the frame to trigger shots or start a livestream. One arm has a touchpad area for input.
Glasses feature open-ear speakers that are 50% louder than their predecessors. Due to the open-ear speakers, there is no passive noise cancellation. So, it will be hard to hear in loud environments.
There is also a 5-microphone array in these glasses. So, it can pick up your voice clearly for voice commands and record spatial audio in video clips. You can take calls and listen to music.
IPX4 water resistance makes the glasses good for daily usage. It also promises to offer up to four hours of battery life on a charge. The included leather case can offer an additional 32 hours or approximately eight charges.
Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses are going up for pre-order starting today in select markets and will go on starting October 12. The standard version costs $299, Polarized variant is priced at $329 and transitions cost $379.
