In its most ambitious move to date in wearable computing, Meta Platforms unveiled a new pair of smartglasses with an integrated display on Wednesday. At its yearly hardware and developer conference in Menlo Park, California, the company unveiled the gadget.
Buyers will control the $799 glasses, which go on sale September 30, with small hand movements through a wrist strap called the Neural Band.Wearing the glasses, CEO Mark Zuckerberg began the keynote by informing the audience: “this isn’t a prototype. This is here, it’s ready to go and you’re going to be able to buy it in a couple of weeks.” Onstage, he gave a live demonstration of the gadget and made an unsuccessful attempt at a video call with Andrew Bosworth, the chief technology officer of Meta.
Meta shows off new Smartglasses with AI capabilities
In 2021, Meta and EssilorLuxottica, the company that owns Ray-Bans, introduced the first smartglasses; however, the initial model lacked artificial intelligence and did not generate much interest from consumers. Less than 10% of the 300,000 pairs that the company sold were still in use two years later. Released in 2023, a redesigned second generation with improved cameras, audio, and AI tools became popular. Francesco Milleri, the CEO of EssilorLuxottica, stated earlier this year that the company had sold over two million pairs and that by the end of 2026, it hoped to increase its yearly production capacity to 10 million.
The drive comes as Silicon Valley scrambles to create AI-powered gadgets that might either replace or enhance smartphones. With designer Jony Ive, OpenAI is creating an AI “companion” that is intended to be a portable third-core device in addition to phones and laptops. Google recently announced plans to introduce AI-powered eyewear after 2025 in collaboration with Warby Parker and Kering. While Amazon still sells eyewear with calling and audio features, Snap intends to release augmented reality glasses the following year.
Smartglasses remain a key component of Meta’s hardware strategy. “It is no surprise that AI glasses are taking off,” Zuckerberg said. “This feeling of presence is a profound thing, and we’ve lost it a little bit with phones. We have the opportunity to get it back.”
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