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Image: Meta
Meta and EssilorLuxottica, the parent company of Ray-Ban, are preparing to launch a new pair of smart glasses that could be the company’s most ambitious hardware project since the Quest headset.
The device, expected to be called the Meta Ray-Ban Display, combines the classic Ray-Ban design with a built-in heads-up display (HUD) and an experimental wristband that uses neural signals to control the glasses.
Leaked videos published by UploadVR and Engadget show a prototype with a single-eye display that projects notifications and navigation data into the wearer’s right eye, plus support for Meta AI voice prompts.
Unlike previous Ray-Ban Meta models, which functioned mostly as camera-equipped sunglasses, this version appears to prioritise information display and hands-free interaction, core elements of augmented reality, even if this first iteration stops short of full AR overlays.
The glasses are widely expected to debut at Meta Connect, the company’s annual developer conference, later this fall. The release would mark Meta’s first consumer product with an integrated visual display since it launched the original Oculus headsets.
The innovation here is less about headline-grabbing holograms and more about solving the practical problems that have stalled smart glasses adoption:
Input without hands or voice: The glasses pair with a neural wristband that uses surface electromyography (sEMG) to detect subtle muscle movements in the wearer’s hand. That lets users respond to messages or navigate menus with tiny finger gestures, a critical workaround for situations where speaking aloud or tapping a screen isn’t practical.
Lightweight design with display tech: At roughly 70 grams, the glasses will weigh more than the current non-display Ray-Ban Meta models (50 grams) but remain far lighter than most AR headsets. By opting for a monocular HUD instead of a full binocular AR display, Meta appears to be balancing power consumption, comfort, and visual clarity.
Fashion-forward form factor: Working with EssilorLuxottica ensures the glasses resemble conventional eyewear, which could help overcome the social stigma that has dogged past smart glasses projects like Google Glass.
In June, it was reported that Meta had even taken a 3% equity stake in EssilorLuxottica to cement the partnership.
Meta has long said it sees AR glasses as the eventual successor to the smartphone. But full mixed-reality displays are still bulky and power-hungry.
The Ray-Ban Display glasses hint at a more incremental path, using glanceable information, AI assistance, and neural input to create a seamless, stylish on-ramp to wearable computing.
If Meta can deliver enough utility without compromising comfort or style, the Ray-Ban Display glasses could be the company’s first real step from novelty gadget to everyday wearable, and the clearest sign yet of how Meta plans to bring AR to the mainstream.