Meta makes some of the best smart glasses we’ve tested at CNET, and now it’s launching several new frame styles. They include support for prescription lenses and aim to make the glasses more viable as an all-day device that won’t look out of place with your day-to-day wear.
At the same time, Meta is also rolling out features that let its smart glasses analyze what you’re looking at to estimate calories, summarize messages from apps like WhatsApp, and provide contextual assistance through its built-in AI.
Here’s what’s new.
New styles with ‘prescription optimized’ glasses
The new models come with a new brown charging and carrying case
The new prescription glasses are available for preorder in the US starting at $499, with availability starting April 14.
The Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 and Oakley Meta lines are also getting an extensive lens expansion, with new combinations of colors and lenses. These include Prizm Dark Golf lenses, which provide better vibrance, contrast and color boosting on the golf course and Prizm Transitions, which adapt to outdoor light.
Meta AI wants to analyze your camera feed and count calories
Scott Stein got to use the Meta Neural Band to control the smart glasses.
One of the biggest new capabilities includes the addition of features for the Ray-Ban Display. There’s now support for Instagram Reels on the glasses, as well as a personalized Spotify shortcut below the media player for faster access to recently played tracks and playlists.
Meta has added two new games — the puzzle game 2048 and the platformer GOAT — which are playable on the display and controlled with the Meta Neural Band.
There are also new glanceable widgets for Reminders, Weather, Stocks and Calendar on the home screen, as well as a new Calendar app that integrates with Google Calendar and Outlook to privately view and manage scheduling.
