Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses launch with built-in screen and wrist controls—plus two more new models

Meta unveiled its most advanced smart glasses yet at its Connect conference, introducing the $799 Meta Ray-Ban Display with a built-in screen and gesture controls, alongside updated versions of its popular Ray-Ban collaboration and new sports-focused Oakley frames.As the name implies, the Meta Ray-Ban Display features a full-colour, high-resolution display built into the right lens that activates only when needed, remaining invisible during regular use to avoid obstruction. Each pair includes the Meta Neural Band, an EMG wristband that reads muscle signals from subtle finger movements and converts them into commands for controlling the glasses.CEO Mark Zuckerberg demonstrated the glasses live on stage, showing how users can check messages, preview photos, see translations, get help from Meta AI, and navigate through content using simple hand gestures detected by the wristband.

The Neural Band allows users to scroll by sliding their thumb across their gripped hand, select items by pinching thumb and index finger together, and adjust volume by rotating their wrist.

The display glasses offer six hours of mixed-use battery life, with the charging case providing an additional 30 hours. The wristband itself delivers 18 hours of battery life and features an IPX7 water rating. Meta built the band with Vectran, the same material used on Mars Rover crash pads, making it strong as steel when pulled yet soft enough to bend comfortably.

Meta’s Ray-Ban Display can do visual responses with Meta AI, messaging and video calling through WhatsApp and Messenger, real-time camera viewfinder with zoom, pedestrian navigation with turn-by-turn directions, live captions and translation, and music playback controls. Despite some technical hiccups during the live demonstration—including failed attempts at recipe requests and video calls—Zuckerberg emphasized that these are production-ready devices, not prototypes.

"This isn't a prototype. This is here, it's ready to go and you're going to be able to buy it in a couple of weeks," he stated.The glasses will be available September 30th at select retailers including Best Buy, LensCrafters, and Ray-Ban stores, with expansion to Canada, France, Italy, and the UK planned for early 2026.

Second-generation Ray-Bans get major battery and camera upgrades

Meta also announced the Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2, an improved version of its bestselling AI glasses that have sold millions of units worldwide.

The updated glasses nearly double the battery life of the original model, offering up to eight hours of use compared to the previous four-hour capacity.The Gen 2 model features significant camera improvements, including 3K Ultra HD video capture with ultrawide HDR and the ability to record at up to 60 frames per second. The charging case now provides 48 hours of additional power, up from 36 hours in the original version.

New software features include "conversation focus," which amplifies the voice of the person you're speaking with while filtering out background noise, and expanded live translation supporting German and Portuguese alongside existing languages.

The Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 starts at $379 and is available immediately in Wayfarer, Skyler, and Headliner styles.

Athletes get their own Oakley AI Glasses with Garmin and Strava integration

The Oakley Meta Vanguard targets high-intensity sports enthusiasts with specialised features for athletic performance.

These $499 glasses integrate directly with Garmin devices and Strava, allowing users to ask Meta AI about heart rate, pace, and other fitness metrics in real-time without looking at their wrist or phone.The Vanguard features a wraparound design optimised for cycling helmets and hats, with IP67 dust and water resistance rating. The glasses include Meta's most powerful speakers yet—six decibels louder than previous Oakley models—and a five-microphone array designed to reduce wind noise. An autocapture feature works with Garmin to automatically record video clips when hitting distance milestones or ramping up heart rate and speed.

The glasses offer nine hours of battery life and will be available October 21st, with pre-orders starting now.