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Meta is taking another big step into wearable tech with the launch of three new pairs of AI-powered smart glasses, including the first Ray-Bans to feature an integrated display for augmented reality.

The flagship model, called Meta Ray-Ban Display, is the company’s boldest move since Google Glass tried and failed to popularise smart eyewear more than a decade ago. Meta has stuck to the familiar Wayfarer-style design to keep things subtle, while still packing in a camera, speakers and microphone.

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The big upgrade is a small, vibrant colour screen that projects onto the inside of the right lens. It hovers just below the wearer’s eye line and can show text, images, and even live video calls. The display only appears during interaction and isn’t visible from outside, while a front LED warns others when the camera is in use.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg showcased the glasses during the Meta Connect event. “Glasses are the only form factor where you can let AI see what you see and hear what you hear,” he said, adding that the goal is to eventually let the glasses generate content like images or video. The demo wasn’t flawless, with Zuckerberg blaming patchy wifi at the event.

Interaction is handled through voice commands and a touch panel on the arms, but Meta has also introduced something new: a water-resistant Neural Band. Worn like a slim bracelet, it picks up electrical impulses from the forearm to control the interface using pinches, swipes, taps, or even a virtual d-pad with the thumb. Later this year, it will support handwriting input using just a finger.

The glasses pair over Bluetooth with both iPhone and Android, supporting texts, calls and video chats through Meta apps like WhatsApp, Messenger and Instagram. Features include live captions, translations, navigation, music controls, and a viewfinder function for photos and videos.

Meta has kept the styling classic, offering the glasses in two frame sizes and colours with transition lenses. Battery life is rated at six hours of mixed use, while the folding charging case extends that up to 30 hours. The Ray-Ban Display launches in the US on 30 September for $799, with wider availability in the UK, France, Italy and Canada set for early 2026.

Alongside the headline product, Meta introduced Oakley Meta Vanguard, a pair of sport-focused smart glasses without a display. Designed like Oakley’s Radar and M-frame models, the Vanguards feature a central camera, speakers and microphones for calls, music, AI functions and workout capture. They weigh just 66 g, have swappable lenses, are water resistant, and last up to nine hours per charge.

Meta has teamed up with Garmin to sync the glasses with its watches and bike computers. Runners and cyclists can request real-time stats such as speed, pace, heart rate or distance, with an LED flash inside the glasses marking milestones. The glasses can also auto-record video snippets when targets like distance, speed or elevation are reached, creating ready-made highlight reels complete with performance overlays for sharing on Strava.

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The Oakley Meta Vanguard ships 21 October for $499/£499/€549, while Meta also unveiled a refreshed Ray-Ban Meta AI 2nd Gen, boasting double the battery life and a sharper video camera, priced at £379/€419/$379/A$599.