Are Meta Smartglasses the Future of Wearables?
Last September (2023), Meta surprised everyone by launching their new smart glasses. For a company that has poured billions into Oculus Quest and its grand metaverse dreams, this announcement came out of the blue. In a world where Apple Vision Pro is all about cramming more power, immersive displays, and cutting-edge sound, Meta chose a completely opposite path with these glasses-simplicity. No fancy screens, no immersive tech, just practical, lightweight smart eyewear that does the basics well.
Why am I writing about it now? Today, over dinner at Pumpkin Tales in Chennai, I caught up with a college friend who recently joined Meta’s smartglasses team. Both of us were wearing Ray-Ban spectacles, but his were slightly thicker. That’s when he revealed he was wearing the Meta smart glasses and gave me a hands-on demo.
First impressions? These glasses are surprisingly low-profile. Designed by Luxottica, they look and feel like any other high-quality eyewear. But inside, Meta has packed some clever technology. Unlike the Quest or Apple Vision Pro, there’s no display. You can’t read articles or watch videos with these glasses. That decision makes them lighter, more practical, and surprisingly affordable at $329. Unfortunately, they’re not yet available in India.
The smartglasses come with features that can make life easier. They have a built-in camera for capturing photos and videos on the go, and when recording, a small light glows to alert people around you to protect their privacy. They connect to your phone for transferring photos and accessing the internet. While the picture quality is decent for casual use, don’t expect anything extraordinary.
What really caught my attention, though, was how they double as open-ear speakers. They let you listen to music, take calls, or ask Meta’s assistant for help-all without the hassle of earphones. No more fiddling with tiny earbuds, losing them, or dealing with the discomfort of having your ears closed. It’s seamless: just say “Hey Meta” to trigger commands.
The glasses also have a “vision” feature that interprets what’s in front of you, even translating foreign languages. Unfortunately, this didn’t work during the demo, likely because the product isn’t yet launched in India. Still, it’s a glimpse of what’s possible.
The open-ear design is a standout for me. The sound is directed precisely toward your ears, so it doesn’t disturb others. The microphones are also impressive, using noise-cancelling tech to keep your voice clear even in busy environments. The Bluetooth 5.0 connection ensures you can use them like any wireless earphones.
Having an Oculus Quest 2, I couldn’t help but appreciate Meta’s different approach here. Instead of a tech-heavy, immersive gadget, this is about practical everyday use. The design is so subtle that unless you told someone, they wouldn’t even know these are smartglasses.
What’s more, they support prescription lenses, including progressive ones, so you don’t have to compromise on vision correction. For someone who wears glasses all day, this is a big win.
I took a few photos comparing these glasses with my regular Ray-Bans. Honestly, you’d struggle to spot the difference unless you look closely. That’s the beauty of it-tech that blends into your life instead of taking over.
Overall, I like the direction Meta is taking here. The simplicity is refreshing. While these glasses aren’t revolutionary, they solve everyday problems in a smart way. I’m curious to see how this idea evolves in future iterations. For now, they’ve got my attention.
Originally published at https://venkatarangan.com on December 9, 2024.
