Meta launches camera-free AI glasses for $349
The Ray-Ban Meta Audio supports audio, phone calls and Meta AI, but cannot record images.
Meta has announced a new Ray-Ban glasses model without a camera. The Ray-Ban Meta Audio costs from $349, will be available from 13 October and uses microphones, speakers and Meta AI for conversations and audio functions.
Meta presented the Ray-Ban Meta Audio on 23 September during its Connect hardware event. According to the company, the glasses are designed as a lighter, camera-free version of its existing smart glasses. Pre-orders are immediately available from $349, according to Meta; the first deliveries are scheduled for 13 October.
The glasses are intended for music and podcasts, phone calls and conversations with Meta AI without the user having to hold a phone. Meta cites a battery life of up to twelve hours and up to 48 additional hours via the supplied charging case. According to the company, the device weighs 43 grams.
At the same time, Meta announced a new generation of the regular Ray-Ban Meta. Those glasses retain the camera, gain a slimmer design and longer battery life, and have a customisable action button for direct access to Meta AI. The camera-free Audio version will appear in various styles, including Clubmaster and Burbank.
The product choice comes at a time when smart glasses are raising questions about filming in public spaces. The camera-free version cannot take photos or videos, but is not entirely free of privacy questions: the device does contain microphones and processes spoken commands through Meta’s software. Meta says the glasses wait for the wake word before forwarding conversations for processing by Meta AI.
The initial information comes largely from Meta itself. TechCrunch confirms the camera-free version, the price and the planned availability. Independent tests of sound quality, battery life, data processing and the usability of Meta AI were not yet available at the time of publication.
It is also not yet clear when the glasses will become available in the Netherlands or what the euro price will be. The US price of $349 cannot simply be converted into a Dutch retail price, because taxes, distribution and regional availability may differ. The announcement therefore says something about Meta’s product direction, but not yet about its launch on the Dutch market.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The product announcement has been confirmed by Meta and described by public technology media. Unknown points about the Netherlands and independent performance are explicitly marked as uncertain.
- confirmed The Ray-Ban Meta Audio has no camera. — Meta and TechCrunch describe the model as camera-free. source
- confirmed The glasses cost from $349 and will be delivered from 13 October. — Meta gives both details in the product announcement. source
- confirmed Meta cites a weight of 43 grams and twelve hours of battery life. — These product specifications appear in the official announcement. source
- confirmed The Dutch price and availability are not yet known. — The announcements consulted do not mention a Dutch retail price or release date. source
Editor's note
Price, weight, features and delivery date have been confirmed by Meta and independent reporting. Dutch availability, the euro price and independent real-world tests are still unavailable.Sources
More on this in Dutch media
- Tweakers — „meta ray-ban”
- AD — „meta ray-ban”
- RTL Nieuws — „meta ray-ban”