Meta unveiled smart glasses without cameras at its annual device event on Wednesday in Menlo Park, California, aiming to address privacy concerns that have put the social media giant at the centre of a growing backlash against AI gadgets that can record people without their consent.

The company also expanded its Muse AI assistant across its smart glasses line-up, adding new ⁠capabilities including computer use and integration with retailers and services such as Walmart, Best Buy and Gap.

Meta said Muse would become the primary interface for its glasses, allowing users to shop, make appointments and complete other tasks through voice commands.

But the new glasses, called Ray-Ban Meta Audio, will still record audio and offer no clear signal to bystanders that recording is underway, unlike its previous smart glasses, which flash a light while filming. Critics say dropping the cameras alone may not be enough to ease privacy concerns.

The Meta Audio glasses will ship from October 13 at a starting price ⁠of US$349.

That is US$100 cheaper than the ⁠latest version of its Ray-Ban glasses, ⁠which have cameras.

Pairing its technology with trendy designs has allowed Meta to take an early lead in the AI device ⁠race.

But it has also made the company the focal point of growing concerns about devices that work better the more they see and hear, prompting privacy lawsuits and bans at some UK venues.

The outcome of the privacy debate could shape ⁠a market that technology firms, including Meta, see as the next major computing platform and a potential replacement for smartphones.

Losing the cameras may also blunt demand as capturing photos and video ranks among the most popular features for smart glasses.

Meta said privacy was not the only reason for the audio-only design and that a market exists for smart glasses without cameras.

Losing the cameras has let Meta build its thinnest pair yet. It also stretched battery life to 12 hours on a single charge, compared with nine hours on the latest, third-generation Ray-Ban glasses. (Reuters)



Edited by Altis Wong