Meta (META.US) "cuts" the camera: $349 Ray-Ban glasses equipped with Muse and hearing aid functions

According to Zhihui Finance APP, Meta Platforms (META.US) is expanding its smart glasses product line with camera-free models, support for the popular new assistant Muse, and a hearing aid mode. At the Connect conference held on Wednesday, the social media giant unveiled the Ray-Ban Meta Audio, its first camera-free glasses. The company also introduced the third-generation Ray-Ban model with a camera, as well as a new, more affordable version of Meta-branded glasses.

The new audio-focused glasses allow Meta to revisit a product category that previously sparked strong opposition due to privacy concerns. Both Meta and the entire smart glasses industry have faced worries that device cameras could be used to record people without their knowledge or consent.

Chief Technology Officer Andrew Bosworth said in an interview that audio-only glasses were added to the company’s product roadmap about two years ago because audio “remains the most popular feature in glasses.” He noted that removing the camera also allows Meta to lower both the price and weight, while extending battery life.

Bosworth admitted that given the “global narrative about privacy around glasses is fermenting,” Meta happened to be “a little lucky” to already have a pure audio product in development. However, he said, the public debate contrasts with what the company is seeing in terms of customer usage, adoption, sales, and engagement—all of which are on a “very, very positive trend.”

“My personal experience wearing them around is that people are quite enthusiastic about this product,” Bosworth said. “And then there is an extremely online concern. I’m not saying those concerns aren’t real. We have to take them seriously, and we do.”

He added that Meta has put privacy at the core of its glasses-related communications from the beginning. For instance, when glasses are taking photos or recording video, a light comes on to alert others nearby.

“We’ve always anticipated this,” Bosworth said. “It’s not something we’ve only recently started to take seriously.”

The camera-free glasses start at $349 and are scheduled to ship on October 3. They will be available in Ray-Ban rectangular Burbank frames and the classic Clubmaster style. In demonstrations, they don’t feel any thicker or heavier than traditional Ray-Bans.

The camera-free version also offers up to 12 hours of battery life on a single charge. That contrasts with the third-generation Ray-Ban Meta glasses, which currently offer 9 hours—an improvement from the previous generation’s 8 hours. The new frames are slimmer than their predecessors but remain larger than the pure audio glasses.

The third-generation model also includes a new “action button” programmable to perform certain tasks, such as launching the Muse voice assistant.

The camera-equipped models will offer three designs: the classic Aviator, the longstanding best-seller Wayfarer, and a new cat-eye frame called Zena. They also feature an upgraded microphone system to reduce background noise during calls and have adjustable temple tips for improved wearability.

The third-generation Ray-Ban glasses will start at $449, up from the current $379 starting price for the second generation. Bosworth mainly attributed the price increase to inflation and component shortages, although the industry-wide storage chip constraints have had a minor impact.

Nevertheless, he said Meta must consider potential storage cost increases when pricing new products. “You have to plan for that volatility,” Bosworth said, adding that such disruptions could persist for “two years, three years, or even four years.”

As part of its adjustments, Meta plans to bring its glasses with displays to international markets and sell them online for the first time.

The company is also rolling out new styles and colors for its budget self-branded glasses introduced in June, and will offer a new $249 version, down from the previous $299. The company plans to expand the product line to more markets, including Singapore and South Korea, and will collaborate with Lisa, a rapper from the K-pop group Blackpink, to launch a $399 version.

In addition to new hardware, Meta also announced a series of software updates. A feature called Dynamic Photos allows the device to capture multiple images at once, letting users select different frames in the companion smartphone app. Users can also set the glasses to shoot photos and videos in landscape orientation.

In late 2026, Meta glasses will support 360-degree spatial audio recording with Dolby Atmos, providing a more immersive sound during playback. Regarding privacy initiatives, the company is working to process more data directly on the glasses rather than sending it to the cloud.

Meta also launched a hearing aid feature approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, similar to the functionality available on Apple’s AirPods Pro. Meta will charge $150 to activate this feature, or include it as part of the Meta One subscription later this year.

The company introduced several additional features for its display-equipped model, which was launched in the U.S. last year for $799—though there is no new hardware version. Changes include a new on-glasses Explore app to help locate third-party web-driven glasses software.

The device can now display turn-by-turn navigation for cycling and public transit routes on the screen, along with more personalized voice options. Other features include on-glasses photo editing, expanded phone notification support, and calendar event management.

The glasses with displays are intended to serve as a stepping stone to full augmented reality (AR) glasses, which will overlay digital information, images, and video onto the real world in both lenses. Meta had previously aimed to launch such a device next year—a goal set when it debuted a prototype AR glasses called Orion. However, Bosworth declined to commit to this timeline.

He said his team—known as Reality Labs—has what he calls a “vehicle” that could launch next year, but he won’t decide to release the device until it “reaches a maturity point.” He added, “There’s definitely a team here that says absolutely yes for launching AR glasses in 2027,” but he wouldn’t commit.

“We have to make a lot of trade-offs,” Bosworth said.

Regardless, the company “is still committed to full AR,” he said, and it will eventually be achieved.