Apple’s Smart Glasses Face Meta Competition Two Years Early

Meta’s first self-branded smart glasses arrive at $299, undercutting its own Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarer line by $80. The move is a direct attempt to widen the market before Apple, expected to ship its first smart glasses in 2027, arrives with cameras, microphones, and Siri-based AI.

The more interesting detail buried in the announcement is that Meta publicly acknowledged Apple as a serious competitor. That kind of explicit framing is unusual, and it suggests Meta sees the next two years as a window to establish habits and brand recognition before a well-funded rival shows up with a first-generation product.

Three models cover the launch: Adventurer and Fury at $299, both manufactured by EssilorLuxottica (the parent of Ray-Ban and Oakley), and a $399 Starfire developed with Kylie Jenner, which adds a slim oval frame, a small gemstone near the camera, and a case with a built-in mirror. The hardware specs across the line include a 12MP camera, 3K video, a five-microphone system, eight-hour battery life, and prescription lens support ranging from -12 to +2.25.

AI and the case against a display

The software story is where Meta is pushing hardest. The glasses ship with the Muse Spark AI model, which expands live translation to 20 languages including Mandarin, Hindi, Arabic, Korean, and Japanese. A new Dynamic Photo mode selects the best frame from a burst, and pedestrian turn-by-turn navigation is also coming.

None of these glasses have a display, which is the same formula that made the Ray-Ban Meta line a genuine consumer hit. Apple’s own internal pivot toward lighter, cheaper eyewear reflects a growing recognition that screenless glasses may be where volume actually lives, a bet Meta has already made and is now doubling down on with its own brand front and center.

The Adventurer, Fury, and Starfire are available now through Meta and EssilorLuxottica retail partners, including LensCrafters.