The Ray-Ban Meta Audio glasses remove the cameras for better battery life

Date:
Thu, 24 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Description:
The Ray-Ban Meta Audio glasses have Dolby Atmos, and no cameras at all

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter All eyes were on Meta Connect 2026 . The annual hardware showcase is where the company debuts its latest wearables, and this years event comes at a time when anti-smart glasses sentiment seems to be at an all-time high though that didnt stop Meta showcasing several brand new pairs of specs.

Smart glasses are getting banned from offices, event spaces, pubs, and courtrooms (among other venues), and folks are expressing their uneasiness at being under the gaze of camera-equipped specs especially given the potential for wearers to film those around them covertly. Perhaps thats why Meta has debuted, for the first time, smart glasses that entirely lack cameras, in the shape of the Ray-Ban Meta Audio though in the pre-Connect briefing I had for the glasses (Im writing this ahead of the showcase, so cant speak for what Mark Zuckerberg will say in his version of the keynote) Meta didnt attempt to link its Audio glasses with the privacy backlash. Latest Videos From
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Instead, Meta focused on the advantages of these glasses chiefly their
longer 12-hour battery life. Well need to see how this figure holds up in our day-to-day testing, though it sounds like these glasses will be able to provide AI assistance and music playback for much longer stretches of your
day than previous models. (Image credit: Meta) Youll be able to enjoy wearing them for longer too. The specs now weigh just 43g (down from 49g for the lightest Gen 2 design), and they also boast some of the Ray-Ban Meta Optics (Meta's prescription glasses line) fit adjustments, like ergonomic hinges and adjustable temple tips. Based on my time wearing the Ray-Ban Meta Audio glasses, these features help to make them some of Metas comfiest yet though my demo was only for about 20 minutes or so which isnt the same as all-day wear. You may like Meta just fixed a big privacy vulnerability with its Ray-Ban smart glasses I tried Metas new Ray-Ban Gen 3 cooler, leaner,
smarter but privacy questions may linger Meta Ray-Ban Scriber Optics
hands-on: superb 2026 smart glasses

Audio performance is also getting a boost thanks to Dolby Atmos support. The glasses' microphones are much better at picking up an immersive soundscape, and the speakers are better at playing it back to you.

I heard a few examples in my demo where the video swapped between Atmos and standard Stereo playback, and the difference was night and day. With Atmos I felt so much more immersed. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from
us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

If youve wanted to pick up a pair of smart glasses, but dont want ones with a camera, these could be the specs for you when they launch on October 13, priced at $349 / 319 / AU$529. (Image credit: Meta) Problem solved? Of
course, Meta hasnt abandoned its camera glasses it just announced its
Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3 model and in my briefing Meta pushed back on claims its specs can be used covertly.

It described the recording indicator as being a light you cant miss, and
noted how it has improved its glasses tamper-protection features in recent updates. It didnt provide details on if or how it will make the indicator
more obvious (many Ive spoken to would disagree with Metas cant miss claim), though given the existential threat to its business the perv glasses moniker poses, I expect more protections and safeguards are on the horizon (assuming they arent announced at Connect). What to read next I dont love camera-less glasses, but RayNeo iO might finally get it right Meta is rumored to be launching camera-free smart glasses codenamed Luna I want to just love my
Meta AI glasses, but I cant get over privacy fears (Image credit: Meta) Audio-only glasses present a partial solution to the issue. They can still capture audio of yourself and those around you, and arent as useful as camera-equipped glasses you cant provide visual context to the Muse AI, for example but the lack of snappers also means theyre a lot less invasive.

And despite being more limited, the glasses can still offer some useful support. Meta has announced a new Hearing Enhancement feature for its specs. The feature is designed to help people with mild or moderate hearing loss enhance the audio of the world around them. It's not free, however, as it'll cost $14.99 a month (pricing outside the US TBC), or it'll come as part of a Meta One subscription.

Possible added costs aside, this feature is an incredible tool and a
showcase for the good things new tech like smart glasses can provide and
some of the Meta employees at the event told me it's the best thing they've worked on while at the company.

Besides the new Meta VR Glasses, the Ray-Ban Meta Audio are probably the glasses Im most excited to experience, although camera-less specs arent my favorite, as they often lack audio capabilities and use a display Metas
specs are the opposite, with no display and Dolby Atmos audio, and thats much more my style.

I want a casual audio experience with the occasional AI assistance, not a constant HUD that feels mildly useful at best, and annoyingly distracting at worst. Ill be interested to see what others think, though. The Meta Audio and Gen 3 Ray-Ban glasses (Image credit: Meta) Will this camera-less design face less backlash, will it be widely accepted? Or has the negativity around smart specs gone too far for brands to be able to win people back?

I think theres still time for smart glasses to be saved, though ignoring the cameras problem is only a half step. Better privacy protections are still needed, but well have to wait and see who acts next will Meta and others properly regulate themselves, will the court of public opinion continue to rule against 'perv glasses', or will government regulators take the decision out of everyone elses hands? Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/computing/virtual-reality-augmented-reality/the-ray- ban-meta-audio-glasses-remove-the-cameras-for-better-battery-life-and-dolby-at mos


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