Meta AR glasses: everything we know about the AI-powered AR smart glasses
After a handful of rumors and speculation suggested Meta was working on AR glasses, it was unceremoniously confirmed that Meta AR glasses were on their way β via a short segment at the end of a blog post in celebration of the 10th anniversary of Reality Labs (the division behind AR/VR technology).
While not much is known about them, the glasses were described as a product that combines Meta’s XR hardware with the in-development Meta AI software to “deliver the best of both worlds” in a sleek, portable package.
We’ve collected all the leaks, rumors, and some of our informed speculation right here, so you can stay up to date on everything you need to know about the teased Meta AR glasses. Let’s get into it.
Meta AR glasses: price
We’ll keep this section short because at this point it’s hard to predict how much Meta AR glasses could cost since we know so little about them β and no speakers have provided an estimate either.
Current smart glasses such as the Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses or the Xreal Air 2 AR smart glasses cost between $300 and $500 / Β£300 to Β£500 / AU$450 to AU$800; However, Meta’s teased specs sound more advanced than what we currently have.
As such, the Meta AR glasses could cost closer to $1,500 (about Β£1,200 / AU$2300) – which is what Google Glass smart glasses have been launched for.
A higher price seems more likely given the novelty of the AR glasses, and the fact that Meta would have to make small but powerful hardware to cram inside them β a combination that typically leads to higher prices.
We’ll have to wait and see what leaks and is officially revealed in the future.
Meta AR Glasses: Release Date
Contrary to the price, several leaks have hinted that we might be getting our hands on Meta’s AR glasses β or eyeballs, I suppose. Unfortunately, we may have to wait until 2027.
This is evident from a leaked internal roadmap from Meta, shared by The edge in March 2023. The document explained that a precursor with a display will apparently arrive in 2025, with ‘real’ AR smart glasses in 2027.
In February 2024 Business insider quoted unnamed sources as saying that real AR glasses could be shown at this year’s Meta Connect conference. However, that does not mean they will start earlier than 2027. While Connect is highlighting its upcoming Meta technology, the company is taking the opportunity to show off things coming further down the pipeline. So the Project Orion demo (as those who claim to know about it call it) could be one of those “you’ll get this when it’s done” kind of teasers.
Of course, leaks should be taken with a grain of salt. Meta could have brought forward or delayed the release of its specs depending on a host of technological factors β we won’t know until Meta officially announces more details. Considering it’s teasing, the specs suggest their release is at least a matter of when not if.
Meta AR glasses: specifications and features
We haven’t heard anything yet about the hardware you’ll find in Meta’s AR glasses, but we have a few ideas about what we’re likely to see from them based on Meta’s existing technology and partnerships.
Meta and LG recently confirmed that they will be working together to bring OLED panels to Meta’s headsets, and we expect them to bring OLED screens to the AR glasses as well. OLED screens are appearing in other AR smart glasses, so it would make sense for Meta to follow suit.
Additionally, we expect Meta’s AR glasses to use a Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset, just like Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses. Currently that’s the AR1 Gen 1, but given Meta’s AR specs aren’t due until 2027, it seems more likely they’ll be powered by a next-gen chipset β an AR2 Gen 1 or an AR1 Gen 2.
As for features, Meta has already teased the two highlights: AR and AI skills.
What this means in practice remains to be seen, but imagine virtual activities like being able to set up an AR Beat Saber jam wherever you are, an interactive HUD as you navigate from one place to another, or interactive elements that allow other users to view and manipulate together β for work or play.
AI-wise, Meta gives us a taste of what’s to come via its current smart glasses. That is, you can talk to the Meta AI to ask it a variety of questions and ask for advice, just as you can with other generative AI, but in a more conversational way while using your voice.
It also has a unique capability, Look and Ask, which is like a combination of ChatGPT and Google Lens. This allows the specs to take a picture of what’s in front of you to answer your question, so you can ask it to translate a sign you can see, for a recipe of ingredients in your fridge, or what the name of a plant is You can read here how you can best care for him.
The AI ββfeatures are currently in beta but are expected to launch soon. And while they seem a little imperfect right now, we’ll likely only see them get better in the coming years – meaning we could see something very impressive in 2027, when the AR specs are expected to arrive.
Meta AR glasses: what we want to see
A sleek Ray-Ban-like design
While Meta’s smart specs aren’t great in every way β more on that below β they are practically perfect in the design department. The classic Ray-Ban shape is sleek, lightweight, super comfortable to wear all day long, and the charging case is not only practical but beautiful too.
While it’s likely that Ray-Ban and Meta will continue their collaboration to develop future smart glasses β and by extension, the troubled AR glasses β there’s no guarantee. But if Meta is reading this, we really hope you’ll continue to work with Ray-Ban so that your future glasses get the same high-quality look and feel we love.
If the partnership ends, we want Meta to at least take cues from what Ray-Ban taught it to keep its design game sharp.
Interchangeable lenses
While we’ll be excited about Meta’s smart glasses design, we have to admit that there is one flaw that we hope future models (like the AR glasses) will improve upon; they need easily interchangeable lenses.
While a nice pair of sunglasses will be perfect for your summer vacation, they won’t serve you well in dark and dreary winters. If we could easily change our Meta glasses from sunglasses to clear lenses when necessary, we’d wear them a lot more often β as it stands, they sit around collecting dust most months because the weather just isn’t right.
As glasses become smarter, more useful and more expensive (as we expect will be the case with AR glasses), they should become a gadget that we can wear all year round, and not just when the sun is shining.
Speakers that can also make you rage (quietly).
Hardware-wise, the main upgrade we want to see in Meta’s AR glasses are better speakers. Currently, the speakers in each arm of the Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses are quite disappointing β they can leak a fair amount of noise, the bass is virtually non-existent and the overall sonic performance is put to shame by even basic over-the-art ears headphones.
We know that open-eared designs can be difficult to find the right balance. But as we’ve been spoiled by open-ear options like the JBL SoundGear Sense β which have an astonishing ability to deliver great sound and let you hear the real world clearly (we often forget we’re wearing them) β we’ve come to know a lot expect and be disappointed when gadgets don’t deliver.
The camera could also get some improvements, but we expect the AR glasses won’t be as focused on content creation as Meta’s existing smart glasses – so we’re less concerned about this aspect getting an upgrade in comparison with their audio capabilities.