Meta has unveiled a new pair of camera free Ray-Ban smart glasses designed to offer artificial intelligence features without the privacy concerns associated with devices that can secretly capture images or video.
The new Ray-Ban Meta Audio glasses were announced at Meta’s Connect 2026 conference on Wednesday and will start at $349. Unlike the company’s existing AI glasses, the new model does not contain a camera and is built primarily around audio, allowing users to listen to music and podcasts, make calls, translate speech and interact with Meta’s AI assistant, Muse.
The Brandspur Brand News Desk reports that the launch comes as Meta continues to expand its wearable technology business while addressing concerns surrounding privacy and the use of camera equipped smart glasses in public spaces. The company’s earlier models attracted criticism over their ability to record people without their knowledge, despite measures designed to indicate when recording was taking place.
Meta’s new audio only approach removes the camera entirely, allowing the glasses to focus on hands free audio and artificial intelligence features. The company says the design also makes the new glasses slimmer, with a weight of 43 grams.
The glasses are expected to offer up to 12 hours of battery life on a single charge, while the accompanying charging case can extend total battery life to as much as 48 hours. They will be available in 23 colour and lens combinations, including two new styles, Clubmaster and Burbank.
Users who require prescription lenses will also be able to order the glasses with their optical prescription, potentially making the device more practical for everyday use rather than limiting it to a conventional technology accessory.
Preorders for the Ray-Ban Meta Audio are scheduled to begin on October 13. Meta has not announced a Nigerian price for the device, meaning prospective buyers in Nigeria would likely have to wait for local availability and pricing information.
Alongside the camera free model, Meta introduced the next generation of its camera equipped Ray-Ban Meta glasses. The new Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3 will feature a 12 megapixel camera capable of recording 3K Ultra HD video, a six microphone array and up to nine hours of battery life.
Meta is also expanding the Gen 3 range with additional frame designs, including Aviator and Zena, the latter featuring a cat eye inspired shape. The company said its existing AI glasses lineup would also receive new colours and styles and expand into more countries.
Both generations of Meta’s AI glasses will have access to Muse, the company’s newer personal AI assistant. Meta also announced planned features including Dolby Atmos Capture, improved photo selection, landscape and portrait capture options, hearing enhancements, additional audio modes and customisable controls.
Another planned feature, called private processing, is intended to prevent Meta from accessing users’ data during certain AI interactions, according to the company.
For consumers, the launch marks a shift in how Meta is positioning smart glasses, with the new camera free model putting audio, calls and AI assistance at the centre of the experience while removing one of the technology’s most controversial features.
