Meta has been trying to redefine smart glasses for a few years now, working with brands like Ray-Ban and Oakley. Until now, their devices have been mostly audio-first – mini headphones built into the frame, microphones for calls, Spotify on the nose. But now comes a big change: the Ray-Ban Display, the first glasses with a screen built into the lens itself.
Mark Zuckerberg I want us to wear the future on our faces. After years of experimenting with glasses that were more like Bluetooth headphones than real computers, Meta is now betting everything on the next generation – the Meta Ray-Ban Display. These are glasses that are no longer just smart frames, but a small projection of the future: a screen in the lens, an AI assistant in the background, and control with finger movements that we hardly move.
Something went wrong at the Meta Connect launch (WiFi and live demos are the ancient enemies of technology), but that didn't dampen the ambition: the glasses want to be more than a fashion accessory. They want to be your next phone.
What the new glasses offer: Meta Ray-Ban Display
As the name suggests, the glasses are no longer just for listening, but for watching. In the right lens, the command appears private screen, which is visible only to the user. It can show:
- Messages without pulling your phone out of your pocket,
- Photo previews, recorded with the built-in camera,
- Directionsthat are drawn before your eyes,
- and Meta AI visual promptsthat help you with your daily tasks.
Comes with glasses Meta Neural Band, a bracelet that uses electromyography (EMG) – technology that detects tiny electrical signals from muscles in the wrist. This means that with minimal finger movements we can scroll through menus, confirm choices or scroll the screen – without a keyboard, without a mouse, without touch.
For everyday use, there are also Transitions lenses, which automatically adjust to the light. So they are regular glasses inside, but act like sunglasses outside.
The glasses will be available in two sizes, in black and sand, and will appear in stores September 30Price: 799 dollars.
That little “oops” on stage
During a presentation at an event Meta Connect Mark Zuckerberg also showed off the glasses live – and the technology gave him a hard time twice. First, during a cooking demo recipe, where the AI skipped steps, and then during a video call, which the glasses simply refused to accept. In the end, it was all down to “bad WiFi.”
But while the demo drew a barrage of laughter, the glasses themselves remain one of the most ambitious devices we've seen in a while. Live demo failures are a part of tech folklore.
Conclusion: Meta Ray-Ban Display
Ray-Ban Display are no longer just “smart headphones in a frame”, but the first serious step towards glasses that can be alternative to the phoneIf they work as Meta promises, they could become a new platform on which the next generation of wearable technology will grow.
