Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently introduced the revamped Ray-Ban Meta 2nd generation smart glasses, designed to liberate users from the need to hold cameras. The announcement was made as part of Meta Platforms' grand reveal of their latest consumer-focused artificial intelligence (AI) products at the Meta Connect event, held at the company's Menlo Park headquarters.

During his address at the Meta Connect conference, which marked a significant milestone for the social media giant as its largest in-person event since the pandemic began, Zuckerberg detailed the key features of the device. These smart glasses will incorporate a brand-new Meta AI assistant and the remarkable ability to live stream the user's perspective directly to Facebook and Instagram. This development marks a notable upgrade from the previous generation, which was primarily designed for capturing still images.

Here are the notable features of the Ray-Ban Meta 2nd gen smart glasses:

  1. Audio Enhancement: These smart glasses boast custom-designed speakers with extended bass, higher maximum volume, and improved directional audio. This results in minimal audio leakage during calls, music playback, and podcast listening, even in noisy or windy environments. Additionally, a five-microphone array allows for audio recording from every direction.
  2. Sharper Imagery: The inclusion of an ultra-wide 12 MP camera significantly enhances photo and video quality, enabling the capture of 1080p videos up to 60 seconds in duration. Users can also effortlessly share photos with friends and family using voice commands.
  3. Powered by Qualcomm: The Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses are powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon AR1 Gen1 Platform, ensuring robust performance.
  4. Enhanced Control: These glasses are now water-resistant with an IPX4 rating, and improvements to the touchpad and interaction earcons result in faster response times to user commands.
  5. Meta AI Integration: Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses now feature Meta AI, a conversational assistant that can be activated by saying "Hey Meta." This enables users to retrieve information and control features through voice commands. Initially, the Meta AI will be available in beta, limited to the United States.

The Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses are available for pre-order, with prices starting at $299 USD. Customers can look forward to purchasing these innovative glasses online and at select retail locations beginning on October 17th.