Remember Google Glass? Meta Ray-Ban Display Is What It Should Have Been

Meta has revealed its Meta Ray-Ban Display Glasses with a built-in screen.
From making calls to live translation, the Meta Ray Ban Glasses are one step closer to Google Glass.
It retails for $799 and will go on sale from September 30 in the US.

Remember the Meta Ray-Ban glasses? Well, they are finally getting an upgrade that brings them one step closer to iconic, way ahead of its time – Google Glass. While the OG Meta Glasses popularized the concept of taking photos and videos hands-free, the Meta Ray Ban Display takes it one step further. From checking your WhatsApp messages to navigating streets on the go, here’s everything you can do with these new Meta Ray Ban Display glasses.

Meta Ray Ban Display Glasses launched with gesture controls

Table of Contents

1. Color Heads Up Display

The Meta Ray Ban Display glasses feature a 600 x 600 pixel display baked into the right lens. Unlike other AR glasses, this display can be summoned when you need it. Adding a screen unlocks a whole other dimension, just like Google Glass, which allowed you to check notifications, messages, and more. It’s like using a smartwatch but for your face rather than your wrist. The display is very bright at 5000 nits, and Meta claims a light leakage of only 2 per cent, so the people around you can’t sneak up on your private convos. It has a 90Hz refresh rate for scrolling and 30Hz for watching content with 42 pixels per degree, making it pretty sharp.

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And since it’s Meta, you can even use the microphones to make video calls or reply to messages on WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook. The coolest part though is that these glasses use Transition lenses, photochromatic lenses, so they switch between polarized and non-polarized ones. Since the display is only present on the right lens, Meta claims that these glasses are designed to help you stay tuned to the world, letting you do everyday tasks without pulling out your phone.

2. Gesture Controls

You can control the Meta Ray Ban Display glasses using an EMG wrist band powered by a new Meta Neural Band. It interprets your muscle activity, allowing you to control the glasses using simple gestures. You can pinch your fingers once to select an item, pinch with your middle finger to go back, and so on. Furthermore, you can make a fist and swipe your thumbs to navigate through the options. It’s pretty intuitive, letting you do most tasks hands-free, and you can even take photos or videos. You can also swipe left and right with your thumb to change the song track or rotate your wrist to adjust the volume, just like you would crank the dial on a speaker.

Furthermore, there’s a handwriting feature that will let you write on any surface, such as your pants, and it will be converted to letters on the glasses. It’s a neat and handy feature to reply or type discreetly without relying on voice dictation. And thanks to the power of predictive text, you won’t have to write that much. The EMG wrist band is IPX7 rated and can last 18 hours on a single charge while being comfortable enough for all-day use.

3. Meta Ray Ban Display Promises 30 Hours Of Battery Life

The Meta Ray-Ban display glasses can last six hours on mixed usage, which is good enough for a pair of smart glasses. And with the new collapsible charging case, you get a total of 30 hours of battery life. While they are only slightly thicker than a pair of regular Meta glasses, they still don’t feel bulky, weighing just 69 grams. For context, your average Ray Ban sunglasses weigh around 28-45 grams.

4. Meta AI, Conversation Focus, And Live Translation

No pair of glasses would be complete without “AI features,” and the Meta Ray Ban display is no exception. You get the same Meta AI here that’s baked into WhatsApp and Instagram. You can ask Meta AI for help, and it will show you step-by-step how-tos and answers. This can be useful for getting a self-guided tour of a museum or a recipe for making Matcha Coffee. With the built-in lens, there’s a possibility that in the future, you will be able to ask Meta AI things like the location of your keys or which shirt would look the best on you.

Other features include Live Captions that will help you stay focused on a conversation by muting the other people in the background and showing live captions for them in real-time. And if you are an avid traveller, you can use the Live Translate feature to translate select languages in real time.

5. Integration With Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp

Since these glasses are Meta, it’s only natural to expect integration with apps like Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp. Not only can you check messages on these social media apps, but you can also send replies and watch Instagram reels. From checking text and photos on WhatsApp to making live video calls that let you show your friends what you are seeing in real time. These glasses also have a real-time viewfinder and zoom to capture photos and videos. While you don’t get Google Maps, there’s Meta navigation for pedestrian navigation that will be available in select cities and roll out to more locations in the future. In fact, third-party app support is not there yet so no ChatGPT or Gemini either.

6. Meta Ray-Ban Display: Pricing and Availability

The Meta Ray-Ban display glasses retail for $799 and include the Meta Neural Band required for gesture controls. It will go on sale starting September 30 in the US. You can purchase it from retailers like Best Buy, LensCrafters, Sunglass Hut, and Ray-Ban stores. Furthermore, availability in other countries such as Canada, France, Italy, and the UK is scheduled for early 2026. The Meta glasses are available in three sizes, so you can always choose the one that suits you best.