Meta unveils lower-priced AI smart glasses starting at $299

Investing.com -- Meta Platforms announced Tuesday a new line of AI smart glasses in partnership with EssilorLuxottica, marking the company's first entry into lower-priced models under its own brand.

The social networking company introduced the Meta Adventurer and Fury glasses, each priced at $299. The price is $80 less than the second-generation Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarer model launched last year. Meta also presented a $399 Starfire model created in collaboration with Kylie Jenner, targeting a younger, fashion-focused audience.

EssilorLuxottica, the parent company of Ray-Ban and Oakley, will manufacture the glasses designed by Meta. The Italian-French eyewear company's logo appears alongside Meta's on the inside of the temple arms and packaging.

The new glasses feature hardware and software similar to Meta's other screen-less smart glasses. A new feature allows users to manually adjust the width between nose pads to three different levels. The glasses include Meta's new AI model, Muse Spark, pre-installed.

Alex Himel, who leads Meta's wearables unit, said in a Bloomberg interview that the new approach responds to demand for "a more accessible price point." He added that after reviewing brands together with EssilorLuxottica, the companies decided to position Meta at the lower price tier below Ray-Ban Meta and Oakley Meta.

The Adventurer glasses feature a rectangular design with thin edges, similar to Wayfarers, and come in regular and large sizes. The Fury model resembles the Adventurer but with thicker frames. The Kylie Jenner glasses have a slim oval shape. Meta offers several colors, including tortoise, black and green, with transition, polarized and clear lens options. The eyewear is compatible with prescription lenses.

Meta indicated it is considering a camera-free version focusing on audio for phone calls, media playback and AI interaction. A camera-free option could lower the price and enable new styles by requiring fewer components.

The new glasses launch ahead of Apple's planned smart-glasses debut next year.

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