I’m a big fan of my Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, and I get a lot of questions from people about them whenever I wear them.
I’ve even let friends and family don the specs to see what the experience of wearing them is like, and it’s at this point that I usually hear something along the lines of “oh, they’re just normal glasses”.
That’s because, for most people, smart glasses aren’t truly smart unless they’ve got sci-fi-esque built-in displays – and until fairly recently, that has been a near-impossible prospect, especially if you want a slimline pair of specs.
Well, it looks like that could be about to change, with a new report claiming that Meta could be gearing up to launch its first true AR smart glasses as soon as next month – and I can’t wait.
Android-based AR glasses set for a September reveal
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who has a pretty spectacular track record with his tech predictions, Meta is getting ready to launch its first commercially available pair of augmented reality glasses very soon.
In fact, Gurman suggests that we could see the new smart glasses, internally code-named Hypernova, as soon as September.
He didn’t say when exactly, but it’d be safe to assume they’d make their appearance at Meta’s yearly Meta Connect conference. It’s where the company launches all things AR and VR, including all recent models of Quest and, yes, the Ray-Ban Meta glasses.
Gurman has also outlined what to expect from the AR glasses, and it’s safe to say that they’re squarely first-gen specs. The Hypernova glasses are said to offer what’s described as barebones AR functionality, with a monocular display embedded in a small section of the right lens.
This is said to handle elements like notifications from your linked smartphone and cues from the built-in Meta AI virtual assistant. It doesn’t take over your entire field of view just yet, and it’s only apparently visible when users look down.
There is said to be a handful of apps available, but there won’t be support for regular Android apps despite running a custom version of the Android operating system.
Still, that’ll likely mean support for elements like real-time text-based translation, countdowns for video recording and more, all of which elevate the already impressive experience from Meta’s existing smart specs.
That’s said to be paired with a “neural” wristband that uses EMG to track hand gestures and other movements for more natural use with the glasses – though they’ll still apparently have touch-sensitive areas on each arm for taps and swipes.
I’ve also got to assume that the main features from the Ray-Ban Meta specs – built-in cameras, speakers, Meta AI support with access to visuals, music playback – will also be present and accounted for, but we’ll see for now.
Pricing is better than expected too
There’s an assumption that AR glasses will come with a high price tag, and that’s probably going to be true for a lot of specs that come out over the next few years. The tech is truly on the bleeding edge, and that translates to higher production costs.
That said, Meta’s AR glasses are said to come in at $800 in the US, a reduction of the previously-rumoured $1000 price point. Gurman claims that this is down to Meta’s decision to prioritise demand and sales over profit.
Of course, that’s still way more expensive than the $300 Ray-Ban Meta glasses, but considering Apple’s AR-enabled Vision Pro costs a whopping $3500, it’s not as egregious as it first sounds – especially for those really interested in the emerging technology.
The first of many to come
Granted, these may not be the all-singing, all-dancing AR glasses promised by sci-fi movies, but now that we’re seeing the first AR glasses hit the market, the speed of progression will likely rocket as big manufacturers compete for dominance in what could become a huge new market over the next few years.
So yes, I’m excited for the Meta AR glasses, not necessarily for what they might offer today, but for what this means for true smart glasses going forward.
