Meta’s 2025 launch of the Ray-Ban Meta Display, Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2, and Oakley Meta Vanguard has put smart eyewear back in the spotlight, with bold promises of seamless AI integration for daily life. CEO Mark Zuckerberg introduced the new lineup at Meta Connect, unveiling products designed to combine everyday style with cutting-edge digital utility.
The New Meta Glasses
The star of the show, Ray-Ban Meta Display, is Meta’s first consumer-ready smart glasses with a built-in heads-up display in the right lens. This digital screen lets users view notifications, read text messages, get turn-by-turn pedestrian navigation, and conduct video calls, all without glancing down at a phone
Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 builds on the success of the original, with improved battery life (up to 8 hours), a sharper 12-megapixel camera capable of 3K video, more storage, and new slow-motion and hyperlapse video modes. The Gen 2 styles include Wayfarer, Skyler, and Headliner, and sell for at least $379.
Finally, Oakley Meta Vanguard targets fitness enthusiasts, featuring a central 12-megapixel camera for hands-free photos and workout videos, a wraparound frame for stability, a 122-degree wide-angle lens, swappable reflective lenses, loud speakers, and integrations with Strava and Garmin apps for real-time exercise data. The Vanguard retails for $499 and launches on October 21.
AI and Sensor Technology
Underpinning all three models is Meta’s AI ecosystem, which leverages a neural wristband in conjunction with the Display model to enable gesture control for the HUD interface—users can type, swipe, and interact with content simply by moving their hands.
The Meta Ray-Ban Display, equipped with the wristband, can translate real-world conversations into subtitles, serve up AI-generated answers in real-time, play music, and share photo or video moments instantly. Zuckerberg emphasized the glasses’ ability to “enhance your intelligence, improve communication, boost memory, sharpen senses, and more,” setting a new benchmark for wearable personal assistants.
The Meta neural band is “the first AI glasses featuring a high-resolution display and a fully weighted Meta neural band,” according to Zuckerberg.
Quotes From Meta Leadership
At the Connect event, Mark Zuckerberg declared: “Glasses are the ideal form factor for personal superintelligence, because they let you stay present in the moment while getting access to all of these AI capabilities that make you smarter, help you communicate better, improve your memory, improve your senses, and more”.
Origin Story and Development
Meta’s partnership with Ray-Ban dates back to 2023. After over two million first-generation units sold, the brand doubled down, investing $3.5 billion in EssilorLuxottica—Ray-Ban and Oakley’s parent company—to ensure robust design and manufacturing. The Oakley Meta Vanguard marks Meta’s strategic expansion into sportswear, targeting athletes and outdoor adventurers.
Meta’s commitment to AI-powered hardware has escalated the Silicon Valley talent race, with billions invested in chip technology and interface innovation.
Funding and Commercial Impact
Pricing is competitive but premium: $799 for Ray-Ban Meta Display, $379 for Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2, and $499 for Oakley Meta Vanguard. Meta expects the new lineup to drive smart eyewear into mainstream acceptance, banking on style, battery longevity, and hands-free capabilities for its business trajectory. Early sales suggest strong demand, especially among younger and fitness-conscious demographics.
Everyday AR
With a full-color display, enhanced cameras, and athlete-centric ergonomics, Meta’s smart glasses blend AR with familiar frame designs for seamless daily use. Critics have noted that “Unlike VR headsets, glasses are an everyday, non-cumbersome form factor” said Forrster Vice President, Research Director, Mike Proulx.
Meta’s new smart glasses mark a leap forward for augmented reality wearables, bringing AI assistance, hands-free interaction, and sports-ready designs to a wider audience.
