Meta drops luxury branding for in-house budget smart glasses lineup

Meta has unveiled a new line of AI-powered smart glasses under its own brand, marking the first time the company has moved away from premium labels such as Ray-Ban and Oakley in an effort to make wearable AI more affordable. The new Meta Glasses start at just $299, nearly 63% cheaper than last year's $799 Ray-Ban Display glasses, as the company pushes to bring AI-powered eyewear to the mass market.

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Although the glasses continue to be manufactured in partnership with eyewear giant EssilorLuxottica, they are branded simply as "Meta Glasses" rather than carrying established fashion labels. The launch includes 26 frame and lens combinations across multiple styles, allowing customers to choose from prescription, clear, polarized, sun, and transition lenses.

The debut of Muse Spark AI plus hardware improvements

The new lineup retains many of the features found in Meta's premium smart glasses, including a 12-megapixel camera, open-ear speakers, built-in microphones, voice controls, live translation, messaging, photo and video capture, and hands-free access to Meta AI. The glasses are the first to ship with Meta AI powered by Muse Spark, the latest AI technology developed by Meta's Superintelligence Labs, enabling more natural conversations and improved contextual understanding.

Meta has also introduced several hardware improvements aimed at making the glasses more comfortable for everyday use. The new designs feature adjustable nose pads, flexible temple arms, improved hinges, and a slimmer charging case. A customizable action button allows users to instantly launch functions such as image capture, live translation, or Meta AI with a single press.

Among the new models is a limited-edition "Starfire" version co-designed with Kylie Jenner. Priced at $399, it features exclusive styling, custom Meta AI voice options, gemstone accents, and a redesigned charging case, while retaining the same AI capabilities as the standard models.

Taking on Apple and Google

The lower pricing reflects Meta's broader strategy of making AI wearables accessible to a much larger audience. Industry estimates show the company already accounts for more than three-quarters of global smart glasses shipments, and executives believe reducing the entry price could accelerate mainstream adoption even further.

The launch also intensifies competition in the emerging AI wearables market. Google is preparing Android XR-powered smart glasses with several eyewear partners, while Apple is reportedly developing its own AI-enabled glasses. Snap recently unveiled premium augmented reality glasses aimed at developers and enterprise customers, leaving Meta to target everyday consumers with lower-priced devices.