Meta
is preparing a more expensive version of smart glasses as part of a joint project with Ray-Ban. The device will have a built-in display, a price tag of $1,000, and will go on sale at the end of the year, Bloomberg learned.
Image source: ray-ban.com
The next-generation smart glasses are codenamed Hypernova. They can run apps and view photos; they are controlled using gesture commands and touch panels on the sides of the frame. The screen is visible only in the lower-right quadrant of the right lens; it is best viewed when looking down. When the device is turned on, it displays a home screen and a menu with horizontally arranged icons, similar to the Meta Quest.
Compared to the current model, Hypernova glasses will get an improved camera; integration with a chat bot will remain. The retail price of the device is expected to be above $1000 — it will probably be in the range of $1300 to $1400. For comparison, the current Meta Ray-Ban costs from $299. Augmented reality technology will not appear in Hypernova yet — it is being developed as part of the Orion project. Hypernova is positioned as “mid-level” smart glasses, which were widely presented by various manufacturers at CES. But the device from Meta will get a more impressive price tag, because it will be equipped with a “neural” controller — the Ceres bracelet, which will also be supplied with Orion.
Meta is already working on the next version of the Hypernova 2 smart glasses, which will have two displays. It will probably hit the market in 2027.