Meta launched its own-branded AI smart glasses starting at $299, dropping the EssilorLuxottica Ray-Ban branding on baseline frames while expanding its wearable lineup with new styles, proprietary AI models, and fresh privacy measures amid mounting public scrutiny.
For five years, Meta sold AI glasses under Ray-Ban’s name. That era shifted when the tech giant dropped its own-branded AI smart glasses designed in-house, signaling a push to capture a broader market by shedding licensing premiums. The new frames start at $299, undercutting the latest $379 Ray-Ban models by $80 while maintaining manufacturing partnerships for lenses through EssilorLuxottica, according to company disclosures.
Three In-House Styles and the Kylie Jenner Edition
Glasses are intensely personal accessories, a reality Meta acknowledged by rolling out distinct aesthetics rather than a single unisex frame. The lineup features the rectangular Meta Adventurer, the boxier and bolder Meta Fury, and an oval model dubbed Meta Glasses by Kylie designed with Kylie Jenner, which carries a $399 price tag, as detailed by Memeburn reporting. Between the Adventurer and Fury alone, consumers choose from 26 color and lens combinations spanning sun, polarized, Transitions, and clear options.
Market Momentum Meets Professional Cycling Restrictions
The hardware push arrives during a period of growth for the category.
Yet mainstream adoption brings friction with established institutions. Professional cyclist Willie Smit learned that reality when he was disqualified from the opening stage of the Tour of Magnificent Qinghai. While the organization permits video recording, its regulations mandate that cameras attach directly to the bicycle rather than a rider’s head or face. Smit argued that a warning or fine would suffice and noted he used the glasses solely to record his ride without receiving outside coaching.
Privacy Hurdles and Surveillance Concerns
Beyond sports regulations, Meta faces scrutiny over the privacy implications of face-worn cameras. Critics have targeted the devices with guerrilla street art in New York City, London, and Washington, D.C., pasting posters that label the hardware mass surveillance predator glasses
. The backlash follows reported incidents of bad actors filming individuals without consent and uploading the clips to social media.
“You cannot hinge your entire privacy policy on a single light. You can’t expect everyone in the world to know that and react to that.”
Uttara Ananthakrishnan, University of Washington technology professor
In response to tampering concerns where users disabled the privacy LED, Meta announced a mandatory software update that disables the camera entirely if the physical light is compromised. Meanwhile, Instagram head Adam Mosseri confirmed the platform will remove user videos captured on Meta glasses that depict harassment.
Competition and the Search for Distinct Utility
Meta’s rollout is pulling traditional rivals deeper into the wearable arena. Industry competitors including Google and Samsung are emulating Meta’s model by partnering with brands like Warby Parker and Gentle Monster.
Whether those adjustments overcome lingering social stigma and privacy anxieties remains the defining test for Meta’s wearable strategy.
