Meta Expands Smart Glasses Lineup with New Ray‑Ban Display, Oakley Vanguard, and Ray‑Ban Gen 2 Models
Key Points
- Meta launches three new smart‑glass models: Ray‑Ban Display, Oakley Meta Vanguard, and Ray‑Ban Meta Gen 2.
- Ray‑Ban Display features a lens‑mounted display (42 ppd) and Neural Band wrist controller for gesture interaction.
- Oakley Vanguard targets action‑sports users with a 12‑MP ultrawide camera, IP67 water resistance, and nine‑hour battery life.
- Ray‑Ban Meta Gen 2 doubles camera resolution and battery capacity, offering eight hours of mixed use.
- All models integrate Meta’s AI assistant for voice commands, live captions, translation, and AR overlays.
- Pricing ranges from $379 for Gen 2 Ray‑Bans to $799 for the Ray‑Ban Display, with the Vanguard at $499.
- Initial availability is limited to U.S. retail stores for the Display, with broader rollout planned for later.
Meta unveiled three new smart‑glass offerings: the Ray‑Ban Display with a built‑in lens display and Neural Band wrist controller, the Oakley Meta Vanguard aimed at action‑sports users with a 12‑megapixel ultrawide camera and louder speakers, and the second‑generation Ray‑Ban Meta that adds a higher‑resolution camera and longer battery life. All models integrate Meta’s AI assistant and aim to bring augmented‑reality experiences to everyday wear, with pricing ranging from $379 to $799 and availability beginning in the United States.
Meta Ray‑Ban Display
Meta introduced the Ray‑Ban Display as its first consumer‑ready glasses that project text, images, and video directly onto the right‑eye lens. The display offers a resolution of 42 pixels per degree and is paired with the Neural Band, a wrist‑worn sensor array that interprets subtle hand gestures such as taps, swipes, pinches, and double‑thumb taps. Users can control the interface, adjust volume, and invoke Meta’s AI chatbot without speaking. Voice commands still power features like live captioning, language translation, and turn‑by‑turn navigation, which now appear on the lenses instead of a phone screen. The glasses support basic Spotify playback controls and Instagram Reels, with broader capabilities slated for future updates. They will be sold in black and sand finishes for $799, initially only through U.S. retail stores where the band can be properly fitted.
Oakley Meta Vanguard
Targeted at action‑sports enthusiasts, the Oakley Meta Vanguard combines a rugged design with advanced imaging and audio. A 12‑megapixel ultrawide camera sits centrally on the bridge, delivering 122‑degree field‑of‑view video up to 3K resolution, as well as slow‑motion and hyper‑lapse modes. The frames are IP67‑rated for water resistance and feature speakers that are six decibels louder than earlier models. A five‑mic array ensures voice commands are heard even in windy conditions. Battery life reaches nine hours, the longest of any Meta glasses to date, and a customizable Action button is positioned on the lower arm for easy access while wearing a helmet. Integrated Strava and Garmin support lets the AI report performance metrics in real time and automatically capture footage at key moments. The Vanguard will be available in four color options for $499, with optional Prizm lenses sold separately.
Ray‑Ban Meta Gen 2
The second‑generation Ray‑Ban Meta retains the classic frame shapes of its predecessor while adding several hardware upgrades. Camera resolution doubles, enabling up to 3K video capture, and new slow‑motion and hyper‑lapse modes expand creative options. Battery capacity is also doubled, offering eight hours of mixed‑use time compared with the original four‑hour limit. Three seasonal colorways—Cosmic Blue for Wayfarer, Shiny Asteroid Grey for Headliner, and Mystic Violet for Skyler—refresh the lineup. Priced at $379, the Gen 2 models are now available for immediate purchase.
All three product families integrate Meta’s AI assistant, allowing users to ask questions, receive visual information, and interact via voice or gesture. The launch reflects Meta’s broader strategy to position wearable computing as a conduit for its artificial‑intelligence ambitions, aiming to make smart glasses a mainstream tool for both everyday tasks and immersive experiences.