Meta's 'Big Wearable' News: Will New Smart Glasses Have a Display?
Meta Platforms is in the midst of an assertive campaign to solidify its position at the forefront of consumer technology. While artificial intelligence remains a key focus, the company’s commitment to augmented and extended reality (AR/XR) has become increasingly apparent in recent weeks, underscored by academic papers on its wristband technology and hints of groundbreaking virtual reality research. This ambition is set to culminate at Meta’s annual Connect conference in September, an event traditionally used to unveil the latest advancements in VR and XR hardware.
According to Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth, speaking in a recent Instagram Q&A, this year’s Connect will feature “big wearable announcements.” While this could encompass a range of products, such as a new, improved, or more affordable Quest VR headset, current indicators strongly suggest the spotlight will be on new smart glasses. Potential directions for such an announcement are numerous, including a third generation of its Ray-Ban AI glasses. However, for many observers, the most pressing question surrounding Meta’s upcoming wearable offerings is remarkably simple: will these glasses finally incorporate a display?
This question resonates deeply within the smart glasses community. Consumers often express a core curiosity about Meta’s existing Ray-Ban smart glasses: do they feature a screen? The frequent answer, unfortunately, tends to disappoint. While the current Ray-Ban models have proven surprisingly useful for certain functions, they fall short of delivering the full “smart” experience that a display could provide. Without a visual interface, the current iteration feels more like “smart-ish” glasses, a perception Meta is likely keen to transcend.
Encouragingly, for those hoping for a pair of Meta-made smart glasses with an integrated screen, rumors suggest these aspirations may be realized. Whispers have circulated about a project codenamed “Celeste,” indicating a new line of smart glasses that could feature a heads-up display (HUD). While the precise functionalities of this HUD remain speculative, reports suggest it would present relatively simple information, such as weather updates and notifications, directly within the wearer’s field of vision. Furthermore, there have been suggestions that these next-generation smart glasses might integrate Meta’s body-reading wristband, enabling control through hand and finger gestures. However, this latter possibility is met with some skepticism, given that the wristband accessory has primarily been showcased as an experimental feature with non-production prototypes like the Orion glasses.
Should a display be incorporated into Meta’s new smart glasses, it is highly probable that they will command a significantly higher price point. Current speculation places the Celeste model in the vicinity of $1,000 upon its eventual release. Beyond the cost, the design is also expected to evolve. If Celeste delivers the anticipated capabilities, it will undoubtedly be a more substantial device than Meta’s current Ray-Ban offerings, which are only marginally larger than conventional sunglasses. Ultimately, for many, the critical benchmark for Meta’s success at Connect next month will be its ability to finally deliver smart glasses that truly live up to their name by featuring an integrated display.