Meta has unveiled its latest innovation, the Ray-Ban Display smart glasses, at the highly anticipated Meta Connect event. These cutting-edge smart glasses feature an integrated augmented reality screen, marking a significant evolution from the Ray-Ban Meta Glasses launched in 2023. While retaining the popular ultra-wide camera, high-quality microphones, and open-ear speakers, the new model now boasts a heads-up display (HUD) discreetly placed at the bottom of the right lens. A standout feature is the inclusion of the Meta Neural Band, an sEMG (surface electromyography) wristband that allows users to control the glasses through subtle hand and finger gestures, ushering in a new era of intuitive interaction.
Price and Availability: Your Gateway to Augmented Reality
The Meta Ray-Ban Display smart glasses are priced at $799 (approximately Rs. 70,100), a package that includes both the smart glasses and the innovative Meta Neural Band. Consumers will have the choice of elegant Black and Sand color options. These advanced smart glasses are slated to hit select offline retailers in the US on September 30, including major stores like Best Buy, LensCrafters, Sunglass Hut, and official Ray-Ban outlets. Plans for expansion into Canada, France, Italy, and the UK are set for the following year. Unfortunately, there are no immediate plans for an India launch.
Advanced Specifications and Features That Redefine Wearable Tech
The Meta Ray-Ban Display represents Meta’s inaugural venture into smart glasses with an integrated AR display. Weighing in at 69g, these glasses are slightly heavier than previous models like the Vanguard and the last-generation Ray-Ban Meta. The new display, nestled at the bottom of the right lens, offers a crisp 600 x 600 resolution and covers an approximate 20-degree field of vision, boasting an impressive peak brightness of 5,000 nits.
Despite its remarkable brightness, Meta assures users of minimal light leakage—just two percent—ensuring that the AR display remains private and unnoticeable to those around you. The screen supports a smooth 90Hz refresh rate for general use, dynamically adjusting to 30Hz when playing video content.
Designed with practicality in mind, the new Wayfarer frames come with transition lenses, offering seamless comfort whether you’re indoors or outdoors. These lenses can also accommodate prescriptions ranging from -4.00 to +4.00. For photography and videography, the Meta Ray-Ban Display is equipped with a 12-megapixel camera featuring 3X zoom. It can capture high-resolution images up to 3,024 x 4,032 pixels and record 1080p videos at 30 frames per second. With 32GB of internal storage, the glasses can store approximately 1,000 images or 100 30-second videos.
The Meta Neural Band is a revolutionary companion to these AR glasses. This sEMG wristband, first showcased with the Orion prototype at the Connect 2024 event, detects subtle muscle movements in the wrist and fingers. These minute electrical signals are then translated into specific actions on the smart glasses, allowing users to effortlessly scroll through content or interact with elements on the display using intuitive gestures. Meta has ambitious plans for the future, promising the ability to compose full messages with these finger movements.
Developing the Meta Neural Band required four years of dedicated research by the tech giant. Constructed from Vectran, the same robust yet flexible material used in the Mars Rover’s crash pads, the wristband is both durable and comfortable. It also boasts an IPX7 rating for splash resistance and offers an impressive 18-hour battery life.
Beyond the capabilities of standard smart glasses, the Meta Ray-Ban Display significantly enhances the user experience. Meta AI now incorporates visual responses, allowing users to read information directly on the HUD rather than solely relying on audio. The glasses also facilitate sending and receiving text messages and making video calls, with support currently extended to WhatsApp and Messenger. The HUD conveniently functions as a camera viewfinder, enabling users to precisely frame shots and verify the 3X zoom effect. Additionally, the screen provides essential features such as pedestrian navigation, live translation, and captions, making the world more accessible and interactive.