Meta expands AI glasses line in a guess on the long run

MENLO PARK, United States: Meta confirmed off new sensible glasses on Sept 17 because it continued to financial institution on a way of life shift towards mixing actuality and digital area regardless of the efforts inflicting heavy monetary losses.

Announcements included the debut of Meta Ray-Ban Display sensible glasses which have built-in screens that enable wearers to see messages, pictures and extra as if a smartphone display screen.

Billed as Meta’s most superior AI glasses, Ray-Ban Display comes with sensor-packed bracelets known as neural bands that allow individuals management the eyewear with refined finger actions, and are priced at US$799 (RM3,352).

“Our goal is to build great-looking glasses that deliver personal superintelligence and a feeling of presence using realistic holograms,” Meta chief government Mark Zuckerberg mentioned as he confirmed off new AI glasses on the tech agency’s annual builders convention.

“These ideas combined are what we call the metaverse.”

Zuckerberg has predicted that AI-infused sensible glasses would be the “next major computing platform,” ultimately changing the smartphone.

The Meta Ray-Ban Display AI glasses with the Meta Neural Band wristbandat Meta headquarters in Menlo Park, California, on Sept 16, 2025. — Bloomberg

The tech titan started investing closely in digital actuality and the metaverse about 4 years in the past, with Zuckerberg altering the corporate’s identify from Facebook to Meta in late 2021 to mirror the technique change.

But Reality Labs – Meta’s digital and augmented actuality unit – has constantly posted large losses.

The unit misplaced US$4.5bil (RM18.87bil) within the second quarter of this yr on income of simply US$370mil (RM1.55bil), highlighting ongoing challenges within the metaverse enterprise.

“There’s no realistic chance that smart glasses sales make this division profitable in the short term,” CCS Insight principal analyst Leo Gebbie mentioned of Reality Labs whereas on the Meta occasion.

“Instead, this is about playing the long-term game to break free from smartphones, where Meta has been throttled by rivals Apple and Google, and to control its own destiny in wearables.”

Smart glasses have appeared on the horizon for greater than a decade, when Google’s Glass headset and digicam launched in 2013 – though it has since been discontinued.

Meta has encountered extra success with its frames developed alongside Ray-Ban, providing options together with a built-in digicam, music playback and voice interactions with the corporate’s AI.

Replace smartphones?

The international sensible glasses market was estimated at practically US$2bil (RM8.39bil) final yr and is projected to achieve US$8.26bil (RM34.65bil) yearly by the tip of the last decade, in accordance with analytics agency Grand View Research.

“The next computing platform continues to come into focus,” Meta mentioned.

“AI glasses connect us to real-world superpowers as we move throughout the day, tapping into a wealth of information while staying present in the moment.”

Meta Oakley Vanguard glasses at Meta headquarters in Menlo Park, California, on Sept 16, 2025. — Bloomberg

Zuckerberg unveiled new Ray-Ban Meta and Oakley Meta Vanguard sensible glasses.

The sensible glasses construct on a partnership established in 2019 between between Meta and EssilorLuxottica, the dad or mum firm of Ray-Ban and Oakley.

Ray-Ban Meta glasses have grow to be the highest promoting AI glasses on this planet, with tens of millions of items bought since launch, in accordance with Meta.

Features embody built-in cameras for hands-free pictures or video, together with having the ability to name on a digital assistant and real-time language translation.

New Ray-Ban sensible glasses begin at US$379 (RM1,590).

Oakley Meta Vanguard are a part of a class of “Performance AI glasses” tailor-made to be used throughout athletic endeavors, and are priced at US$499 (RM2,093).

“We designed Oakley Meta Vanguard for high-intensity sports with an action-ready camera, integrations with fitness apps, immersive audio to elevate your workouts, and more,” Meta mentioned. – AFP