What you need to know
- In an expansive update, Meta rolled out multimodal AI support and video call capabilities to Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses users. Multimodal AI is in beta for all U.S. and Canadian users, while video call support is rolling out gradually.
- Earlier, Meta quietly added Apple Music as a supported service in the Meta View app, allowing for hands-free control.
- Meta is also adding a new frame option called Skyler and a low-bridge option for Headliner frames.
Meta spent the last week reminding everyone in the tech industry that it is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to AI. The company recently launched a new Llama 3 AI model and integrated Meta AI into its core apps. Now, the Meta AI experience on its Ray-Ban smart glasses is getting upgraded to multimodal AI, putting it in the same league as new AI hardware products like the Humane AI Pin and Rabbit R1.
The company explained the updates in a blog post, which also include support for POV-style video calling and two new frame styles. Separately, Meta quietly added Apple Music support in the Meta View app, enabling hands-free music control and playback.
The company began testing multimodal AI with the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses a few months ago, combining the glasses' camera with Meta AI. The term "multimodal" means that you can interact with Meta AI through different modes. The glasses first shipped with voice control, which was one mode, but the multimodal upgrade adds the camera as another mode by which you can interact with Meta AI on the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses.
As an example, Meta said that you can ask your smart glasses to translate items on a menu using your voice, the camera, and Meta AI.
Multimodal AI isn't perfect, but it may be better than other wearable implementations of the technology, like the Humane AI Pin. Since Ray-Ban Meta glasses are paired with a smartphone, users get lower latency and quicker response times. However, the small camera and a lack of zoom can be limiting in some cases. This feature is rolling out to everyone in the U.S. and Canada but is still a beta feature.
Following the update, the camera on your smart glasses can also be used as a video feed for video calls. In an Instagram post, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg showed off the functionality:
Previously, the Ray-Ban Meta glasses could be used for livestreaming, but now video calls are supported too.
On the hardware side of things, Meta is offering two new frame options. One of them is called Skyler, and Meta describes these as having "a cat eye design inspired by an era of iconic jet-set style, designed to suit smaller faces." The other is a low-bridge option for the existing Headliner frames, which the company says is best suited for people who have glasses slide down the bridge of their nose frequently.
Aside from the new colorways and frames, the under-the-hood hardware is unchanged. Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses still retail for $300 but have gained a few big new features since their initial launch.
The best smart glasses yet
Meta hit the jackpot with the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, and they just keep getting better. With one pair of sunglasses, you've got a camera, headphones, and multimodal AI assistant you can wear.
