Meta Demos Audio-Only Smart Glasses and $150 Hearing Aid Glasses at Connect
At Meta Connect, Meta showed audio-only smart glasses with six microphones and no camera, plus hearing-impaired glasses priced at $150.
Meta used its annual Meta Connect event to put smart glasses front and center, showing off two new models that push the category in different directions. The company demoed an audio-only pair with six microphones and no camera, a design that strips out visual recording entirely.
The audio-only glasses are lighter than other smart glasses this reporter has worn, and they have no native way to record surroundings. They also integrate with Muse, Meta's personal agentic system, though that integration is not yet available to the public. Meta plans to let users choose digital avatars to represent the Muse agent.
Meta also showed smart glasses for the hearing impaired, a project a Meta research team member said was in development for about five years. The glasses can switch between focused and omnidirectional amplification and will sell for $150, well below the $1,600 that many hearing aids can cost.
About 50 million Americans are said to have some level of hearing loss, according to the figures cited at the event. The hearing-impaired glasses were one of several hardware and AI products featured throughout Meta Connect, as reported by TechCrunch.
CEO Mark Zuckerberg has stated he believes smart glasses are the future, a position the company reinforced by making them the throughline of this year's showcase.
Quick answers
What are the audio-only smart glasses Meta demoed?
They are a smart glasses model with six microphones and no camera, and no native way to record surroundings. They are lighter than other smart glasses the reporter has worn.
How much will Meta's hearing-impaired smart glasses cost?
They will sell for $150, compared with many hearing aids that can cost as high as $1,600.
What is Muse in Meta's smart glasses?
Muse is Meta's personal agentic system. The audio-only glasses integrate with Muse, but that integration is not yet available to the public. Meta plans to let users choose digital avatars to represent the Muse agent.