According to a report from the Financial Times, it looks like Meta is preparing to add displays to its popular Ray-Ban smart glasses. These screens could appear in a future version of the device as early as next year. The likely release window is the second half of 2025.
According to people familiar with Meta’s plans, the screens will be small and will likely be used to display notifications or responses from Meta’s AI virtual assistant. It’s highly unlikely that the company is planning to make this a full-fledged mixed-reality device just yet.
To that end, Meta has its recently unveiled Orion AR glasses, which are still several years away. The same report indicates that the positive response the Orion glasses have received has likely accelerated development and possibly ensured a commercial release. It was uncertain whether those glasses would remain in-house prototypes.
The Ray-Ban smart glasses have been a surprise hit for Meta, and it’s easy to see why. They look great and perform admirably. The current model includes in-ear speakers, a camera, microphone, and access to Meta’s virtual assistant.
I really like the simplicity of the current design, especially when taking photos and videos. My hope is that the screens don’t get in the way of that simplicity and that they don’t come at the expense of improving the camera system.
The Ray-Ban Meta glasses are, after all, the perfect device for snapping quick pictures of a pet. Have you ever tried to keep an animal still so you can get your phone out of the bag to take a photo? Those furry animals never do. Ray-Bans solve that problem.