Meta launches audio-only glasses and Gen 3 Ray-Ban with slimmer designs

Meta introduced its new Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 3) smart glasses with a slimmer design, longer battery life, and audio-only lineup at its recent event. The company is capitalizing on the growing popularity of smart glasses, despite recent public backlash. Three new Ray-Ban Meta releases were showcased, including the Meta Glasses with new styles starting at $249.

The Meta Adventurer glasses come in black frames with grey lenses and a plug-in case, launching on October 23. The audio-only Ray-Ban Meta Audio glasses, starting at $349, have a slimmer form factor weighing 43g and offering 12 hours of battery life. Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 3) is now available for $449, featuring extended battery life of 9 hours, same camera capabilities, and 27 styles across Aviator, Wayfarer, and Zena frame styles.

Meta also upgraded its Display glasses with hands-free navigation, "Hologram" personas for video calls, new apps, notification mirroring, and Threads integration. The new hardware will be available in the UK, Canada, France, Italy, and Germany, with US online ordering now possible for $799.