Apple’s smart glasses are years from launch. But Meta plans to roll out a more sophisticated version of its popular Ray-Ban Meta glasses later this year.
It will reportedly support hand gestures and feature a screen to display pictures and apps.
Next-gen Meta glasses to feature a screen
Meta’s current Ray-Ban Meta Glasses have been a surprise hit. They retail for $299 and sport a built-in 12MP camera and a five-mic system. This helps you quickly take photos and videos to share on Instagram and Facebook. Plus, it features Meta AI, so you can translate languages, learn more about a historical landmark, or take quick notes — all just by using your voice.
Meta plans to take things to the next level with its next-gen smart glasses, codenamed Hypernova. They will reportedly retail for over $1,000, with Bloomberg‘s sources suggesting a price between $1,300 to $1,400. Meta will take a final call on the retail price of the smart glasses closer to its launch.
The standout feature of Meta’s upcoming smart glasses will be the built-in display. Positioned in the lower-right corner of the right lens, this monocular screen will deliver information to the wearer’s right eye.
Based on a prototype unit, the report indicates the smart glasses will run a highly customized version of Android. The display will show an app dock similar to the one on Meta’s Quest headset. It will also include standalone apps for taking and viewing pictures and navigation. Plus, they will show notifications from Messenger, WhatsApp, and the paired phone.
Note that the upcoming Meta smart glasses differ from the AR glasses the company reportedly plans to launch in 2027. Apple’s smart glasses will also supposedly launch in the same year.
The smart glasses could support hand gestures with an accessory
The glasses will feature capacitive touch controls on the sides for scrolling and navigating through the UI. Alongside this, Meta will offer a neutral wristband with its next-gen glasses, codenamed Ceres. It will allow you to control the smart glasses using hand gestures, like rotating your hand to scroll through apps and photos. Likewise, you can pinch your finger and thumb to select an item.
The built-in camera will get an upgrade too, with Meta aiming to match the performance of the iPhone 13 from 2021. This should help improve the overall image and video quality.
Meta will bundle a new triangular prism-shaped carrying case with the glasses that fold up.
Don’t get too excited about Meta’s upcoming smart glasses, though. They are months away from launch, and there’s a possibility Meta could change its plans at the last minute.
