- Overcoming the scepticism surrounding smart glasses, the Meta Ray-Ban Display feels like it could be consequential to the future of personal devices.
- On top of a camera and artificial intelligence integration, it delivers an incredibly high-resolution HUD display in the lens, with intuitive gesture-based controls.
- The Meta Ray-Ban Display will remain a US exclusive until 2026; while the Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) is now available for AU$599, and the Oakley Meta Vanguard can be pre-ordered for US$499.
After years of ambitious promises and spectacular failures, smart glasses have become the tech industryโs running joke. Google Glass looked ridiculous. Appleโs Vision Pro flopped. Every startup demo shows someone awkwardly gesturing at invisible interfaces while bystanders cringe.
But Metaโs latest announcement at Connect 2025 suggests the company might have cracked the code. Their new lineup of Ray-Ban and Oakley smart glasses doesnโt try to replace your phone or transport you to virtual worlds. Instead, they solve specific, everyday problems with surprisingly elegant solutions. Dare we say it, their new wearable devices that might actually (finally) augment reality for the better.
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Meta Ray-Ban Display
Housed in a classic Wayfarer-style form, the newly announced flagship notably features a built-in high-resolution display (42 pixels per degree) overlaid onto your natural field of vision (a first for the tech company).
An always-on conduit for Metaโs artificial intelligence thatโs more JARVIS-esque daily companion than it is a nosey personal assistant, this feels like the future that was always promised: HUD directions, step-by-step instructions, translations/live-captions, toggling music playback, and of course, Meta AI chatbot.
Not just a way to check those notifications or aimlessly scroll the feed while your hands are full.
On the subject of hands, given we havenโt quite reached the neural transmitter stage of personal devices, controlling the Meta Ray-Ban Display involves the associated Neural Band. Itโs essentially a fitted wristband that detects gestures (pinches, swipes, taps, rotations) via the electrical impulses in our forearms. And later this year, itโll also be able to read your handwriting based on finger movements.
The Meta Ray-Ban Display require a Bluetooth connection to a smartphone, with messaging/video calling support through both native texting and Metaโs suite of apps, i.e. Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp.
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Oakley Meta Vanguard
For the athletic operator who considers viral Red Bull stunt videos erotica, the boffins over at Menlo Park have also presented the display-less Oakley Meta Vanguard.
Flaunting a durable yet stylish wraparound design not entirely unlike the Radar or M-frame sport glasses, this oneโs effectively part GoPro, part Garmin, part Shokz, and all action.
Key features include:
- nine-hour battery life (mixed use)
- 12MP ultrawide camera w/ 122-degree FOV
- 3K video recording with Hyperlapse and Slow Motion capture modes
- Integration of Garmin and Strava with Meta AI (so you can ask for real-time stats hands-free and on the move; trigger auto-captures based on workout/milestones/speeds)
- New five-mic array to receive verbal commands
- Six-decibel louder speakers (built into arms) that account for environmental noise
- Customisable โaction buttonโ mounted on both arms
- IP67 waterproof rating
And thanks to the partnership with Garmin and Strava, you can instantly overlay app stats on top of your footage and post away.
The Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) is currently available to purchase here in Australia for AU$599, while pre-orders are open for the Oakley Meta Vanguard ahead of its October 21st launch date.
The price? US$499. As for the top-end Ray-Ban Meta Display (US$799), itโll begin as a US exclusive from September 30th, before an international rollout throughout 2026.
