- Meta allegedly makes Ray-Ban glasses with a screen
- It is expected to land in 2025
- It won’t be Orion, but Meta’s next step towards consumer AR specs
While the consumer version of its impressive Meta Orion AR glasses prototype won’t be arriving anytime soon, we may get a taste of what’s to come from the AR revolution next year, as reports suggest we’ll be getting new Ray-Ban Meta intelligent. glasses next year that incorporate “a single small screen on the lens.”
This is according to the Wall Street Journal, who says that “a person familiar with the project” suggested that the Ray-Ban update is planned for 2025 and could be launched alongside the sensor bracelet that early testers used to control Orion.
The report added that while Meta did not confirm whether this heads-up display feature would be available, a headset that could display basic information such as notifications was a highly requested feature according to Alex Himel, vice president of wearables at Meta.
We should take the rumors with a pinch of salt, but the screen-equipped Meta Ray-Bans were already teased in 2023 by a leak from The Verge that revealed Meta’s internal roadmap, a roadmap that pegged 2025 as the year of launch of these glasses.
This is also a good sign for people who want to get their hands on Orion, as the same leaked roadmap said full AR smart specs would drop in 2027. Assuming Meta is on the way with Orion, that means we could use them in just two. years, which seems too early for the AR revolution.
As for when we might see the display packing Ray-Ban, it will most likely be in September or October, given Meta’s typical release schedule; It typically likes to show off new hardware at Meta Connect, which hits that space toward the end of the year. You could always mix things up in 2025, but wait a few more months for these improved smart glasses if they’re actually on the way.
A screen upgrade or a battery downgrade?
Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses have been some of the best, if not he Best: gadget of the year for me. Technically, they landed in 2023, but their Meta AI update, which only arrived this year, took them from an interesting novelty to easily the best AI wearable out there, and an easy pick to include in our guide to the best smart glasses.
AR functionality, even something basic like a single HUD, would greatly improve its usefulness. And if the upgrade can happen without a (admittedly unlikely) price increase or at least not a massive one, and maintain the sleek design of the current model, then I could see these improved specs easily supplanting everything else out there.
My only concern would be the battery life. Current glasses only have a maximum of four hours depending on use, and a screen (even a small one) could eat up that. Although Meta would be aware of this and may have designed new and improved batteries to ensure that your glasses don’t turn off after two minutes, and at least if they run out, you can always rely on them as a pair of fancy specs. .
