Meta Launches $299 Smart Glasses Without Ray-Ban Partnership

Meta has launched a new line of $299 smart glasses under its own brand, dropping the Ray-Ban name to achieve a lower price point. The new Adventurer and Fury models, along with a $399 Kylie Jenner collaboration, are still made with Ray-Ban parent EssilorLuxottica. The glasses feature new AI capabilities via Muse Spark but face significant privacy hurdles amid reports Meta is developing facial recognition technology.

Meta Glasses product launch

• ▪The new glasses lack a screen but include a camera and personal speakers for interacting with Meta's AI
• ▪Meta is also releasing a $399 model named "Starfire" in collaboration with Kylie Jenner
• ▪The new Meta Glasses line includes the "Adventurer" and "Fury" models
• ▪On June 23, 2026, Meta announced a new line of smart glasses under its own brand, starting at $299

Ray-Ban partnership shift

• ▪EssilorLuxottica's name is stamped on the inside temple of the new glasses, and the company helped with design and manufacturing
• ▪The new Meta Glasses are launched without Ray-Ban or Oakley branding
• ▪Meta's partnership with Ray-Ban's parent company, EssilorLuxottica, continues for the new glasses

Facial recognition privacy concerns

• ▪Meta's VP of wearables, Alex Himel, acknowledged that bad actors are misusing its products as they become more popular
• ▪Alex Himel said Meta would release updates "really soon" to directly address privacy issues
• ▪Recent reports from The New York Times and Wired state Meta is actively building a facial recognition feature for its smart glasses

Muse Spark AI features

• ▪Upcoming AI features for the glasses include pedestrian turn-by-turn navigation and a "dynamic photo" feature
• ▪The Meta AI will support 14 additional languages, including Arabic, Japanese, Mandarin, Hindi, and Korean
• ▪The new glasses will launch with Muse Spark, the first AI model from Meta’s Superintelligence Labs

Adjustable fit design improvements

• ▪The glasses have overextension hinges to provide a more comfortable fit for people with wider faces
• ▪The temple tips of the glasses contain a wire that allows them to be bent for a more customized fit
• ▪The new glasses feature adjustable nose pads that can be clicked into three separate positions

Lower price point strategy

• ▪A Meta executive stated the main reason for dropping the Ray-Ban branding was to offer the glasses at a lower price point
• ▪The starting price of $299 is $80 less than the second-generation Ray-Ban Meta glasses