The Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses are bringing in a new set of AI-driven tools that will enable them to do what you tell them through voice commands. These smart sunglasses will come in different styles iconic to Ray-Ban’s history, like the Wayfarer, Headliner, and Skyler. These styles will come with sun, clear, polarized, transition, and prescription lens options.
In essence, the Ray-Ban Meta are like having another pair of eyes because of the built-in 12-megapixel camera, presenting the opportunity to capture life as it happens in front of you without reaching for another camera. The new features will include the option to snap photos, as well as do video calls or livestream from any location. Built-in speakers also allow you to listen to music and keep in touch with others through phone calls and hands-free texting.
What the new AI features can do
Meta AI, Meta’s free artificial intelligence (AI) assistant, is driving the new features, which will also have direct ties to Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook, and Messenger. By saying, “Hey Meta,” followed by a command, the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses will be able to oblige and do it, so long as it’s within the parameters available. For instance, if you are viewing a landmark, you can say, “Hey Meta, take a photo,” and it will snap an image.
In another example, Meta AI can help translate a sign, menu, or any other legible object by simply saying, “Hey Meta, translate this.” The built-in 12-megapixel camera has an ultra-wide lens that can see plenty in front of you, but can also see text as you get closer. While Meta AI is only available in Canada and the United States, it will recognize voice commands in English, French, and Spanish.
Pairing the smart glasses with a phone, be it an iPhone or Android model, allows you to use the AI assistant to communicate through Meta’s social media platforms. This means you can respond to a message in WhatsApp or Messenger, or even handle a video call through either platform that would allow the other person to see what you see from a first-person perspective. Potentially significant for travel and family connections, it could also prove useful in helping a loved one who’s lost and needs help with navigation. Moreover, since the glasses are paired to your phone, it’s possible to swap cameras, so that you can speak face-to-face with someone, and then switch to your own point-of-view by double-pressing the button on the glasses. There is a creative aspect to all this that also leans more heavily on the AI. As an example, you can create image captions to go with the photos you capture, applying a common use case for those who share images.
Managing the smart glasses
The Meta View app is the conduit for many of the features, particularly in setting up the smart glasses and customizing how the controls work. Meta AI is designed to act as a practical assistant, so it could answer both standard and complex questions. It can recommend restaurants nearby or suggest steps to take if you were interested in getting into a new hobby, for example. It can even help figure out a recipe. It’s also built into the search bar for Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook, and Messenger, thereby letting you make a query without having to verbally ask through the glasses.
Not everything the smart glasses can do is voice-activated. You can snap a photo anytime by simply pressing the right button. The same goes for listening to music and calls, where you can swipe on the touchpad along the right side of the glasses to play, pause, adjust volume, and accept or reject incoming calls.
Ray-Ban rates battery life at up to four hours per charge—36 hours total when you count all the recharges in the protective case. Like wireless earbuds, the case has its own battery to keep topping up the glasses until you need to recharge that via the included USB-C cable as well.
While they technically have some water resistance, they’re not built for adventurous pursuits or extreme sports. They aren’t waterproof to handle water or heavy rain, nor are they ruggedized to ward off hard impacts. Additionally, Ray-Ban recommends not using them while driving or to record others without consent, though a blinking white indicator light (photo) or solid white (video) give others a sign that the glasses are actively capturing images.
The new Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses are getting the Meta AI upgrade, and you can order your own pair from Best Buy right now.
