Meta Unveils Camera-Free Audio-Only Ray-Ban Smart Glasses

Meta Unveils Camera-Free Frames at Menlo Park Conference

Meta unveiled several new wearables powered by its artificial intelligence models on Wednesday, including the audio-only Ray-Ban Meta Audio frames designed without external cameras. Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg introduced the lineup at the company’s annual Connect conference at its Menlo Park headquarters, presenting the device alongside a new personal AI assistant named Muse. There are almost 2 billion people in the world who wear glasses today… and we think that in the coming years, most of these are going to get upgraded to AI glasses, Zuckerberg told the audience of developers and executives.

The audio-only glasses arrive in two styles, Burbank and Clubmaster, and will start at $349, with shipping scheduled for October 13. While lacking cameras, the new frames retain core audio capabilities such as making phone calls, playing music, and interacting with Meta’s AI features. The tech giant denies that the new glasses have been rushed out in response to public anger, stating the product has been in development for two years. The audio-only version is cheaper than its camera-enabled cousins, and Meta says it has a lighter frame and better battery life.

Meta to Launch Camera-Free Glasses Amid Privacy Backlash

Building in privacy features such as a recording indicator light is really important, Meta’s vice president of AI product, Vishal Shah, told AFP on Wednesday. We wanted people to clearly understand that this was something that was recording, and we've only made that light more explicit over time, Shah said. We said a lot about that when the glasses first launched, and I think we probably need to keep repeating that more than we have been more recently because none of that's changed, he added. Meta launched its first smart glasses in 2021.

Privacy Backlash and Public Bans Facing Camera-Enabled Smart Glasses

The launch addresses growing international scrutiny over wearable technology. When Meta first launched its AI-powered smart glasses in 2023, in collaboration with the trendy sunglasses brand Ray-Ban, it unleashed a storm of controversy. There have been multiple reports of the devices being used to harass women and girls in particular, filming them without their consent, then sharing the footage. The image problem doesn’t seem to have been cured by Meta’s enlistment this summer of Kylie Jenner, Kim Kardashian’s sister, as their prime model. The devices have been dubbed “pervert” or “creepy” glasses.

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Public pushback has translated into widespread restrictions. In the UK, JD Wetherspoon pubs, a handful of major theatres, Comic-Con, some schools, and Faslane, home of the UK’s nuclear submarines, have all chosen to ban them.

Government regulators are also stepping in. Norway is considering a ban on smart glasses and other camera-enabled wearable headsets as it seeks to regulate the controversial technology amid privacy concerns. The country’s digital minister Karianne Tung, as quoted by the AFP news agency, said that the government is looking to regulate the use of camera-enabled wearables, such as those made by Meta and Snap. These wearables feature cameras, are internet-connected, and may soon include facial recognition, drawing ire from civil liberties advocates, who say the devices intrude on people’s privacy.

“We must prevent this equipment from being used to monitor other people in public places,” said Tung, who added that this may include banning the use of facial recognition of other people in public places.

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Karianne Tung, Norway’s digital minister

Tung plans to set up a group of experts to advise the government on better protecting people’s privacy rights.

Weighing Form Factor, Safety, and Everyday Utility

Industry analysts and testers note that removing the camera alters both physical comfort and social reception. Unlike earbuds or headphones, you weren’t cut off from hearing your surroundings. This was great for specific contexts, like biking or walking outside, where you wanted to be able to hear traffic or other sounds for safety reasons. You can also make hands-free phone calls, or listen and respond to text messages. The potential downside here is that, compared to taking a phone call on an AirPod, no one can see you’ve got anything in your ear, so it’ll really seem like you’re just talking to yourself in public.