Meta has officially unveiled its latest innovation in wearable technology — the Ray-Ban Display smart glasses. Announced by CEO Mark Zuckerberg at Meta Connect 2025, these next-generation smart glasses combine stylish Ray-Ban frames with an integrated display and an AI-powered wristband controller.
Launching September 30, 2025 for $799, the new Meta Ray-Ban Display is positioned as a direct step toward making smart glasses a mainstream replacement for smartphones.
Key Features of Meta Ray-Ban Display
- Built-in display on the right lens: Show apps, alerts, directions, and translations.
- Meta Neural Band controller: A wristband that picks up subtle hand gestures using EMG signals.
- Onboard AI assistant: Supports Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook, and more.
- Cameras, speakers, microphones: Hands-free content creation and voice interaction.
- Cloud connectivity: Access to social media, navigation, and real-time translations.
- Battery life: Neural Band offers 18 hours of usage and is water-resistant.
👉 Related: Meta Quest VR Headsets | Best AI Wearables 2025
Meta Neural Band: A New Way to Control Devices
The Neural Band looks like a sleek, screenless Fitbit but is packed with advanced electromyography (EMG) sensors. These sensors detect signals from your brain to your hand, enabling precise gesture-based control.
This is Meta’s bet on a post-touchscreen era, where AI-powered wearables replace smartphones for daily tasks like messaging, navigation, and translation.
Meta Ray-Ban Display vs. Orion Smart Glasses
At Meta Connect 2024, Meta showcased Orion, a more advanced prototype featuring AR lenses and eye tracking. However, Orion remains a long-term project, while the Ray-Ban Display is ready for consumers today.
- Ray-Ban Display: Practical, stylish, consumer-ready, $799.
- Orion: Advanced AR features, not yet available to the public.
Meta’s Strategy: Competing With Apple & Google
Meta has already sold millions of Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses in partnership with EssilorLuxottica. With this launch, the company is doubling down on AI-powered wearables to reduce its reliance on Apple and Google hardware.
However, analysts expect Apple smart glasses and Google AR wearables to enter the market soon, integrated directly into their OS ecosystems — a potential challenge for Meta’s adoption strategy.
👉 Recommended Reading: Apple Vision Pro Updates | Google AR Glasses Rumors
What to Expect at Meta Connect 2025
- Meta Ray-Ban Display launch (Hypernova codename).
- Oakley Spheara AI smart glasses designed for athletes.
- Possible updates on Meta Superintelligence Labs (MSL).
- Future roadmap for Meta Quest VR headsets.
Zuckerberg is expected to highlight how AI wearables + contextual computing will transform the future of interaction.
How to Watch Meta Connect 2025
- 📍 Location: Menlo Park, California
- 🗓 Date: September 17, 2025
- ⏰ Keynote: 5 p.m. PT by Mark Zuckerberg
- 📺 Livestream: Available free on Meta’s website and Facebook via Meta for Developers.
- 🥽 VR Experience: Watch inside Horizon with your Meta Quest headset.
Developer sessions will continue on Thursday, including a talk on the future of glasses with contextual AI by Meta Reality Labs executives.
Final Thoughts: Can Meta Win the Smart Glasses Race?
Meta is positioning the Ray-Ban Display smart glasses as the first widely available AI-powered wearable that blends fashion with functionality. While they may not match the futuristic capabilities of Orion, they mark an important step in making smart glasses a mainstream consumer product.
Whether Meta can outpace Apple’s AR glasses or Google’s wearable AI devices remains to be seen. But with strong partnerships (Ray-Ban, Oakley) and billions invested in Meta Superintelligence Labs, the company is betting big on an AI-first, wearable future.
👉 Next Read: Meta’s AI Superintelligence Labs Explained | Best Smart Glasses of 2025 Compared
