Meta (the company that owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp) has just announced a brand-new pair of smart glasses, once again teaming up with the iconic glasses brand Ray-Ban.
But these aren’t just the “smart glasses” you might have seen before that only had a camera and speakers. This new version, called the Ray-Ban Display glasses, adds two major new pieces of technology: a full-color display you can see through and a futuristic new way to control them called the Meta Neural Band.
Let’s break down exactly what this all means for someone who isn’t a tech expert.
What’s New? A Display Inside Your Glasses
The biggest update is right in the name: the “Display.”
Imagine putting on your glasses and being able to see a small, transparent screen floating in front of your vision. That’s the idea here. It’s a full-color, high-resolution display that’s built right into the lenses.
Here’s what you can see on it:
- Messages: Get text notifications without looking at your phone.
- Maps: See turn-by-turn walking directions right in your line of sight. No more staring down at your phone while crossing the street.
- Photos: Glance at photos.
- AI Prompts: You can ask the built-in Meta AI questions (like “What’s the weather?” or “What’s this landmark in front of me?”) and see the answers appear on the display.
The key is that it’s designed to be there when you need it and gone when you don’t. It’s not a giant screen blocking your view of the world. It’s meant for quick “glances” at information.
How Do You Control It? The “Neural Band”
This is maybe the most futuristic part. Instead of just tapping the side of the glasses or talking to them (which you can still do), you control them with a new wristband called the Meta Neural Band.
This band uses something called EMG (Electromyography). In simple terms, this band can read the tiny electrical signals that your brain sends to your hand and finger muscles when you intend to make a movement.
This means you can control the glasses with tiny, subtle hand gestures that might not even be visible to other people. The announcement mentions you’ll be able to:
- Scroll
- Pinch
- Even “write in the air”
This lets you interact with the display without having to pull out your phone or awkwardly tap at your head.
What Else Can the Glasses Do?
On top of the new display and controller, these glasses are packed with other useful features:
- Video Calls: You can make and take video calls, showing the other person what you’re seeing.
- Live Captions & Translation: This is a huge one. The glasses can “listen” to what someone is saying and show you captions in real-time. This could even translate another language for you, letting you see what someone is saying in your own language.
- Music Controls: Listen to and control your music or podcasts.
- Built-in Camera: Like the previous versions, they have a camera to capture photos and videos from your point of view.
The Practical Stuff: Battery, Weight, and Price
- Battery Life: The glasses themselves get about 6 hours of mixed use on a single charge. The carrying case also works as a portable charger and holds an additional 30 hours of battery, similar to how wireless earbuds work.
- Weight: They weigh only 69 grams. For comparison, a standard pair of plastic Ray-Ban Wayfarers is around 45-50 grams. So, they’re slightly heavier, but still very light and designed to be worn comfortably.
- Price: This new tech isn’t cheap. The price will start at $799.
When and Where Can You Buy Them?
- In the US: They will be available starting September 30, 2025. You’ll be able to find them at Best Buy, LensCrafters, Ray-Ban stores, and Verizon.
- Other Countries: The glasses are planned to expand to Canada, France, Italy, and the UK in early 2026.
In short, Meta is betting big on this as the next step in computing. It moves technology from the phone in your hand to a simple, glanceable display right in front of your eyes, with a new, subtle way to control it all.