Meta takes on Google and Snap with cheaper AI smart glasses starting at $299

Meta has unveiled a new line of AI-powered smart glasses starting at $299. The launch sharpens competition with Google and Snap as companies race to define wearable computing.

In Short

• Meta's new AI glasses start at around $299
• The glasses include a camera, speakers, and Meta AI
• Google and Snap are also expanding into smart eyewear

Competition in the smart glasses market is heating up. Last month, Google said it is developing new AI-powered eyewear in partnership with Warby Parker that will use its Gemini AI model. More recently, Snap announced Specs, a pair of smart glasses priced at $2,195 (around Rs 2.06 lakh), which CEO Evan Spiegel described as the successor to the smartphone. Now, Meta has entered the spotlight with a more affordable option.

The company on Tuesday announced a new range of Meta Glasses starting at $299 (around Rs 28,100), making them at least $80 cheaper than the entry-level second-generation Meta Ray-Ban glasses. The new glasses are also significantly more affordable than the Ray-Ban Display glasses launched last year for $799 (around Rs 75,100).

A new look for Meta's smart glasses

Although developed in collaboration with Luxottica, the new Meta Glasses are the first in the company's lineup not to carry one of the eyewear giant's well-known brands, such as Ray-Ban or Oakley. The glasses come in new colours and frame styles, including a rectangular design and a slim oval collection created in partnership with media personality Kylie Jenner.

Powered by Meta's latest AI

The new devices are also the first AI glasses from Meta to launch with Meta AI powered by Muse Spark, the first model developed by the company's Superintelligence Labs. While the glasses do not include a display, they feature a built-in camera and personal speakers. Users can interact with Meta AI through voice commands to translate languages, understand what they are seeing, or capture photos and videos of their surroundings.

Meta's growing bet on wearable AI

Although the smart glasses market remains relatively small, Meta and EssilorLuxottica currently dominate the category with an estimated market share of more than 80 per cent. The companies have sold millions of units since launching their first smart glasses in 2021.

Meta has invested billions of dollars in its pursuit of what it calls "personal intelligence," betting that AI-powered gadgets and electronics will help bring artificial intelligence directly to consumers.

Why smart glasses matter to Zuckerberg

Mark Zuckerberg has found greater success with smart glasses than with virtual reality headsets, which played a key role in Facebook's rebranding to Meta in 2021. While virtual reality remains a niche market largely focused on gamers, Zuckerberg is increasingly focused on building and controlling a hardware platform for the AI era.

With Google, Snap, and Meta all pushing aggressively into smart eyewear, the race to make AI-powered glasses the next major computing device is clearly gaining momentum.

- Ends