Meta Unveils Ray-Ban-Free AI Glasses, Betting on a $299 Price Tag

【Financial News, New York = Reporter Lee Byung-chul】 Meta Platforms is accelerating its push to secure an early lead in the AI wearable market by unveiling a $299 entry-level pair of smart glasses. By sharply lowering the price from its existing Ray-Ban smart glasses, the company is aiming for mass adoption while also pressing ahead with efforts to build the next-generation hardware platform that could define the AI era.
On the 23rd local time, Meta unveiled its $299 "Meta Glasses." The new model is at least $80 cheaper than the company’s existing second-generation entry-level "Meta Ray-Ban" smart glasses. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has chosen smart glasses as a key device for the AI era and is moving to expand their reach.
The new product was co-developed with EssilorLuxottica, the parent company of Ray-Ban, but it does not use the Ray-Ban or Oakley brands. Meta introduced three designs and also launched a dedicated charging stand.
Instead of a display, the device comes with a camera, speakers, and AI voice features. Users can talk with Meta AI by voice, translate nearby objects, check information, and take photos and videos.
Meta sees the new product as a stepping stone toward full-fledged augmented reality (AR) glasses with displays in the future. Last year, it unveiled the $799 "Ray-Ban Display Glasses," which feature a screen built into the lens.
Analysts say Zuckerberg’s AI hardware strategy is also beginning to pay off. The virtual reality headset business that he bet on in 2021, when the company changed its name from Facebook to Meta, remains a niche market centered on gamers. Smart glasses, however, are quickly gaining popularity as they combine with AI assistant features. Market researchers estimate that Meta and EssilorLuxottica currently hold more than 80% of the global smart glasses market and have sold millions of units since the first launch in 2021.



pride@fnnews.com Reporter Lee Byung-chul Reporter