Meta has unveiled three new AI glasses models at Meta Connect 2025, an annual conference focused on the future of the metaverse, augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies.
The company unveiled the Oakley Meta Vanguard for athletes and high-intensity sports. It also revealed the Ray-Ban Display, which pairs an in-lens screen with a wrist-worn EMG neural band. The third launch was the second generation of Ray-Ban Meta glasses, offering longer battery life and sharper video.
“Our goal is to build great looking glasses that deliver personal super intelligence and a feeling of presence using realistic holograms,” said Mark Zuckerberg during the opening keynote.
“Glasses are the ideal form factor for personal super intelligence because they let you stay present in the moment, while getting access to all of these AI capabilities that make you smarter, help you communicate better, improve your memory, improve your senses, and more.
“Glasses are the only form factor where you can let an AI see what you see, hear what you hear, talk to you throughout the day, and very soon generate whatever user interface you need right in your vision in real time.
“So it is to no surprise that AI glasses are taking off. This is now our third year shipping AI glasses with our partner EssilorLuxottica. The sales trajectory that we’ve seen is similar to some of the most popular consumer electronics of all time.”
Oakley Meta Vanguard
The Oakley Meta Vanguard is the second model in Meta’s Performance AI glasses line, following the Oakley HSTN introduced earlier in 2025. It is designed for high-intensity activities such as cycling, running, and skiing, with Oakley’s PRIZM lenses, a wraparound frame, and a secure fit optimised for helmets and hats. The glasses are rated IP67 for dust and water resistance, making them the most durable in Meta’s lineup to date.
Audio and communication have been upgraded to match the environment. The open-ear speakers are the loudest on any Meta glasses so far, six decibels stronger than the Oakley HSTN, and a five-microphone array is tuned to reduce wind interference. Meta says this means athletes can issue voice commands or make calls while moving at speed without battling background noise.
Integrations with Garmin and Strava let users ask Meta AI for real-time pace, heart rate, or other stats without looking down at a device. A new autocapture feature records clips when thresholds such as distance, speed, elevation, or heart rate are reached. This creates a highlight reel of training sessions. Strava users can overlay performance metrics directly onto captured footage before sharing.
Vanguard records video in up to 3K with a 12-megapixel, 122-degree wide-angle camera. It supports slow motion, hyperlapse, and adjustable stabilisation. Battery life is nine hours of mixed use, or six hours of continuous music, with an extra 36 hours available through the charging case. The model costs $499 and launches on 21 October in the US, Europe, and Australia. Expansion to Mexico, India, Brazil, and the UAE will follow later in the year.
Ray-Ban Display with Neural Band
The boldest product unveiled at Connect was the Ray-Ban Display, which features a new product category: display-first AI glasses. These glasses incorporate a full-colour, high-resolution in-lens display that sits off to the side of the wearer’s vision, designed for short, glanceable interactions rather than constant overlays.
The display can show text messages, WhatsApp notifications, navigation directions, live captions, translations, camera previews, and music playback controls, blending practical features with lightweight design.
Each pair ships with Meta Neural Band, a wrist-worn EMG controller that translates subtle muscle and finger movements into digital commands. Years of EMG research with nearly 200,000 participants went into making the band intuitive and accessible. It can detect movements even before they’re visible, enabling silent scrolling, clicking, and in the future, even text input. Built from Vectran, the same fibre used in Mars Rover crash pads, the band is strong yet flexible, IPX7 water resistant, and lasts up to 18 hours on a charge.
Meta says the glasses provide around six hours of mixed use, with a collapsible charging case extending this to 30 hours. At launch they come in Black and Sand, both with Transitions lenses for indoor and outdoor wear. Pricing starts at $799 for the bundle of glasses and band. Retail availability begins on 30 September at select US stores, including Best Buy, LensCrafters, Sunglass Hut, and Ray-Ban shops, with expansion to Verizon outlets soon after. Canada, France, Italy, and the UK will follow in early 2026.
Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2
The second generation of Ray-Ban Meta glasses is designed to make everyday use more practical. A fully charged pair now lasts up to eight hours with typical use, nearly double the runtime of the first generation. A new charging case provides an additional 48 hours of power, while a quick 20-minute charge delivers up to 50% battery. These upgrades mean the glasses can cover full-day events such as music festivals or outdoor trips without the frequent top-ups required by the earlier model.
Video capture has received a significant upgrade. Gen 2 records at 3K Ultra HD, delivering smoother, sharper clips at up to 60 frames per second with ultrawide HDR. Later this autumn, hyperlapse and slow-motion capture settings will arrive via software updates across all Meta’s AI glasses. These features expand the glasses’ role as a hands-free camera for both creators and casual users.
Meta is adding new AI features. Conversation focus, coming soon via update, will use the open-ear speakers to amplify the voice of the person you are speaking to. This will make conversations clearer in noisy environments. Offline live translation now includes German and Portuguese, with real-time conversations possible once the language packs are downloaded.
The glasses come in new styles. These include the Skyler frame, joining the classic Wayfarer and Headliner. Prices start at $379. Availability is expanding to Switzerland and the Netherlands, with Brazil, Mexico, and India to follow soon.
*Jason Bannier is a data analyst at World Wide Worx and deputy editor of Gadget.co.za. Follow him on Bluesky at @jas2bann.