Meta Ignites Smart Glasses War: New Ray-Ban Models Challenge Apple, Google in Emerging Tech Frontier
Meta Ignites Smart Glasses War: New Ray-Ban Models Challenge Apple, Google in Emerging Tech Frontier
Meta Platforms has intensified the burgeoning smart glasses market with the recent launch of its third-generation line on September 17. The move positions Meta at the forefront of what analysts predict will be a new battleground in consumer electronics, with tech giants Apple and Alphabet’s Google poised to unveil their own smart eyewear in the coming years.
The new lineup includes stylish Ray-Ban Meta glasses, Oakley Meta Vanguard wraparound sports sunglasses, and Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses featuring an on-lens monocular display. These devices boast built-in cameras for capturing photos and videos, microphones and speakers for calls and music, and integrate Meta’s artificial intelligence assistant, all controlled via touch on the temples.
While currently serving more as companion devices than direct smartphone replacements, Meta’s offerings allow users to keep their phones pocketed for routine tasks. Research firm IDC projects significant market growth, forecasting global smart glasses shipments to reach 10.6 million units this year, up from 2.7 million in 2024, and expanding to 28.2 million by 2029.
A key to Meta’s early success with EssilorLuxottica has been the focus on design, making the glasses fashionable and only slightly heavier than conventional eyewear. This marks a significant evolution from earlier, less aesthetically pleasing attempts like Google Glass.
To bolster adoption, Meta has partnered with Best Buy, which will feature in-store demonstrations and dedicated specialists in over 300 stores. Prices for the new Meta smart glasses range from $379 for the Ray-Ban Meta eyewear to $499 for the Oakley specs and $799 for the Meta-Ray Ban Display glasses.
The competitive landscape is rapidly heating up. While Chinese companies like Xiaomi and Huawei currently pose primary competition, the industry anticipates major entries from Apple, Google, Samsung, and Snap. Apple reportedly targets late 2026 for its first smart glasses, designed to integrate with its AI-enabled Siri assistant, while Amazon eyes a monocular display launch in late 2026 or early 2027. Analysts expect Google to follow suit within the next one to two years.
Despite the growing excitement, experts like IDC’s Jitesh Ubrani suggest smart glasses will remain companion devices for the next five years, appealing primarily to early adopters. However, analysts like BofA Securities’ Justin Post foresee AR glasses becoming the leading device for the AI era, with strong holiday sales potentially boosting sentiment for Meta’s leadership in the next generation of personal computing.
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