California: Meta introduced its first pair of camera-free AI glasses on Wednesday at its Connect 2026 conference, a device called the Ray-Ban Meta Audio. The launch confirms earlier reporting from Reuters and marks a shift for the company after facing sustained criticism over how its camera-equipped glasses have been misused.
Unlike Meta’s existing AI glasses lineup, the new audio-only version drops the camera entirely. Instead, it lets users listen to music and podcasts, take phone calls, translate speech in real time, and talk to Meta’s AI assistant, Muse. The glasses are built by EssilorLuxottica, Meta’s hardware partner, and will start at $349.
The camera-free design appears to be a direct response to backlash Meta’s camera glasses have drawn. Critics have pointed out that people, often men, have used the devices to secretly record others without their knowledge, some referring to them as “pervert glasses.” Meta had earlier tried to address this by disabling the camera if the recording indicator light was tampered with, but concerns about covert filming persisted. By removing the camera altogether, the new glasses sidestep that criticism completely, while also giving Meta a rival to devices like Apple’s Siri-enabled AirPods.
Speaking at the keynote, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg explained the reasoning behind the audio-first approach. “Once you get used to high quality audio, it’s just a thing that you want all the time, right?” he said, adding that the company realized during development that it could build an entirely new glasses category centered on audio alone.
Because there’s no camera to house, the Ray-Ban Meta Audio is lighter than Meta’s other glasses at just 43 grams. The frames include adjustable temple tips, swappable nose pads, and reinforced hinges, and Meta says battery life reaches up to 12 hours per charge, extending to 48 hours with the included charging case. Buyers can choose from 23 color and lens combinations, across two frame styles: a retro “Clubmaster” design and a more classic rectangular “Burbank” shape. Prescription lenses are available as well. Preorders open on October 13.
Alongside the audio glasses, Meta also revealed its next generation of camera-equipped smart glasses, the Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 3), which will come in three styles, including two new additions, the Aviator and the cat-eye-shaped Zena. These will feature a 12-megapixel camera capable of 3K Ultra HD video, a six-microphone array, and up to nine hours of battery life.
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