Meta unveiled a host of new products last night at its annual conference, with Mark Zuckerberg making it clear that the company’s new strategy will focus not only on developing advanced AI models, but also on their use by millions of people in their everyday lives.

The Meta CEO has invested billions of dollars in recent years in the development of new artificial intelligence models, and the company is now moving on to the next stage: integrating them into products and services that will be widely used.

At the conference, held in California, Meta unveiled three new types of ‘smart’ glasses with built-in artificial intelligence functions, as well as new capabilities for Muse, the AI assistant launched this month that has managed to reach the top of the App Store.

$1,300 virtual reality glasses

Meta is seeking to take the next step in virtual reality with the new Meta VR glasses, a device that represents an evolution of the company’s Quest VR headset range, which has already established a significant presence in the market. Unlike traditional bulky virtual reality headsets, the new glasses have been designed to look more like a normal pair of large spectacles. Weighing just 100 grams and made from a magnesium alloy, Meta says they offer a much more comfortable user experience.

The user looks through special lenses at a 5K microOLED display, which offers high definition and a resolution of 37 pixels per degree. The image quality even allows text to be read clearly, putting the device in direct comparison with Apple’s flagship virtual reality glasses, the Vision Pro.

The glasses also feature cameras on the front, allowing users to see the environment around them and use augmented reality applications, combining the digital world with real life.

One of the key design changes concerns weight distribution. The glasses are connected via a cable to a small external device weighing around 300 grams, which contains the computing power and a battery lasting up to three hours. In this way, Meta removes a significant amount of weight from the user’s head, claiming that the new glasses are around five times lighter than the Quest 3.

Meta describes them as ‘IMAX Enhanced’ and compatible with 3D content for watching films. Upon launch, they will also offer a new immersive experience through Disney+, where users will be able to watch content within virtual environments inspired by films such as ‘Avengers: Infinity War’.

At the same time, the glasses can display multiple virtual windows simultaneously and connect to Mac or PC computers, allowing the computer screen to be displayed in a virtual space.

Among the new features is a virtual keyboard that can be projected onto any desk or table. However, for users seeking a gaming experience, Quest controllers and an Xbox controller are also supported.

The Meta VR glasses are expected to launch in spring 2027 in North America, Europe and Asia, priced at $1,299.99. Meta aims to create a new category of devices that will bridge virtual reality with everyday work, entertainment and communication.

New Meta-Ray-Ban glasses without a camera following backlash

The new generation of Meta smart glasses is being introduced at a time when this particular technology category is at the centre of intense debate, mainly because of concerns over privacy protection.

Glasses capable of recording images and sound have prompted reactions from privacy organisations and activists, who fear that they could be used for covert recordings without the consent of people around the user. For this reason, smart glasses have often been described by their critics as ‘spy glasses’ or ‘unethical glasses’.

Meta’s smart glasses, which are currently the most popular product in the category, are seeking to address these concerns through different versions. One of the company’s new offerings is the Ray-Ban Meta Audio AI, which has no camera, thereby limiting one of the key issues that has prompted criticism.

These glasses feature microphones and speakers, allowing users to listen to music, make calls and interact with Meta’s artificial intelligence assistant. They retain the classic design of the Ray-Ban Clubmaster and Burbank, while being thinner and lighter than the camera-equipped versions. Their battery can last for up to 12 hours, while they are priced at £319 (€349).

At the same time, Meta unveiled the new Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3, which feature cameras and offer longer battery life of up to nine hours, as well as Dolby Atmos audio support. They are priced at £409 (€449).

The company also announced new models of glasses carrying its own brand, in collaboration with singer and actress Lisa, while all its smart glasses feature a special warning LED that flashes when recording is taking place.

Meta says it has improved its security mechanisms to prevent the recording indicator from being bypassed, although privacy remains one of the biggest challenges to the technology’s acceptance by the wider public.

At the same time, the company is expanding the rollout of the Meta Ray-Ban Display, the glasses featuring a built-in virtual display in the right lens. The product will initially be launched in the UK and Canada, followed by France, Germany and Italy.

By integrating artificial intelligence into everyday life, Meta is seeking to turn smart glasses into a new personal assistant, but their acceptance will depend to a large extent on whether users and society feel that the convenience they offer does not come at the expense of their privacy.

From Facebook and Instagram to artificial intelligence

Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, is seeking to integrate artificial intelligence models and AI agents across all its services.

The company’s smart glasses will integrate Muse, allowing users to control their AI assistant through voice commands. At the same time, Meta announced Muse partnerships with Shopify and Expedia.

However, the company faces two key challenges: firstly, ensuring that its enormous investments in artificial intelligence deliver financial returns, and secondly, developing the smart glasses market despite privacy concerns.

Analyst Avi Greengart of Techsponential said that Meta is seeking to address the privacy issue by separating its products into versions with and without cameras.

All of Meta’s new products, including the smart glasses and Muse, are based on the new artificial intelligence model Muse Spark, which was launched in April by the Meta Superintelligence Labs division.

The company also plans to unveil an even more powerful artificial intelligence model in the coming weeks, under the codename Watermelon.