New AI Glasses From $399
Meta unveiled the third-generation Ray-Ban smart glasses last night, headlined by real-time translation and AI vision Q&A, starting at $399 — the same price as the previous generation.
Photo: Phillip Pessar, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Key Upgrades
- Real-time translation: Conversational translation across 27 languages, with translations playing in the earbuds and latency under 1 second
- Upgraded vision Q&A: Powered by the latest Llama model — ask “what architectural style is that building ahead?” and get an instant answer
- Better battery: Runtime per charge up from 4 to 6 hours, with the charging case providing 3 full top-ups
- Improved sound: New custom drivers with 40% more bass and cleaner call noise reduction
Worth Noting
- Still no display — it’s an “AI assistant in glasses form,” not AR glasses
- No confirmed launch date for mainland China, and Meta’s ecosystem still has hurdles there
- Privacy debate: the indicator light and photo-taking prompts remain, but some worry about the recording capabilities of vision AI
Our Take
Smart glasses are moving from “toy” to “tool.” If translation really hits 1-second latency, it’s enormously valuable for travel and business. We’ve already ordered a test unit — we’ll publish a hands-on review as soon as it arrives.
👉 Want to see it compared with domestic AI glasses (Huawei, Xiaomi, RayNeo)? Tell us in the comments.
Related: AI Glasses Weekly #1