Meta Launches Ray‑Ban Smart Glasses with Display and Neural Band Controller
Key Points
- Meta unveiled the Meta Ray‑Ban Display with a built‑in right‑lens display.
- The device includes cameras, speakers, microphones, and an AI assistant.
- A wrist‑worn Neural Band uses EMG to detect hand gestures for control.
- The Neural Band offers 18 hours of battery life and is water‑resistant.
- Launch announced at Meta Connect by CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
- Pricing set at $799 with availability beginning September 30.
- Meta positions the glasses as a consumer‑ready alternative to smartphones.
- The product aims to compete with upcoming smart‑glasses from Google and Apple.
Meta unveiled a new Ray‑Ban branded smart glasses system featuring a built‑in display on the right lens and a wrist‑worn Neural Band that interprets subtle hand gestures. Announced by CEO Mark Zuckerberg at Meta Connect, the product—called Meta Ray‑Ban Display—will be available for purchase within weeks and is positioned as a consumer‑ready step in Meta’s push to bring AI‑powered wearable technology to the market, complementing its existing VR lineup and aiming to broaden user interaction beyond smartphones.
Product Overview
Meta introduced the Meta Ray‑Ban Display, a pair of Ray‑Ban smart glasses equipped with a built‑in display on the right lens. The display enables users to view apps, alerts, directions, live translations, and other content directly on the glasses. Integrated components include cameras, speakers, microphones, and an on‑board AI assistant, allowing the device to connect to the cloud for internet and social media access. The glasses are marketed as a consumer product that can be purchased within a few weeks of the announcement.
Neural Band Control Interface
Accompanying the glasses is the Meta Neural Band, a wrist‑worn controller that detects subtle hand gestures using electromyography (EMG). The band interprets signals between the brain and hand to navigate apps, offering a hands‑free control method. According to Zuckerberg, the band provides 18 hours of battery life and is water‑resistant. Its design resembles a fitness tracker but lacks a screen.
Launch Context and Market Position
The announcement took place at Meta Connect, Meta’s annual developer conference, with CEO Mark Zuckerberg presenting the product. The company frames the Meta Ray‑Ban Display as a next step after its earlier Ray‑Ban Meta smart glasses, which have sold millions of units. While Meta has invested heavily in virtual reality headsets, the new smart glasses represent a shift toward AI‑driven wearable devices that can perform many tasks traditionally done on smartphones.
Meta aims to compete in the emerging smart‑glasses market, acknowledging competition from Google and Apple, which are expected to release their own devices. The company hopes that being first to market with a functional consumer product will give it an advantage, even though earlier prototypes like Orion featured more advanced augmented‑reality capabilities such as eye tracking.
Pricing and Availability
The Meta Ray‑Ban Display is slated to launch on September 30 at a price of $799. The product is positioned as a ready‑to‑buy consumer offering, contrasting with earlier prototypes that were not yet available for purchase.
Strategic Implications
By integrating a display, AI assistant, and a gesture‑based control band, Meta seeks to create a new interaction paradigm that extends its ecosystem beyond phones and VR headsets. The move reflects Meta’s broader strategy to connect users directly to its hardware and services, potentially expanding its reach in the wearable technology space.