Meta Expands Smart Glasses Lineup With Camera-Free Ray-Ban Meta Audio at $349, Third-Gen Model at $449

Meta Platforms (META-US) unveiled its first camera-free smart glasses, "Ray-Ban Meta Audio," at its Connect conference on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, alongside a third-generation Ray-Ban Meta with a camera and new lower-priced Meta-brand frames. The audio-only model starts at $349 and ships October 3, 2026, offering up to 12 hours of battery life in Burbank rectangular and classic Clubmaster frames. CTO Andrew Bosworth said privacy concerns around smart glasses are "real," and that removing the camera cuts weight, price and extends battery life. The third-generation Ray-Ban Meta starts at $449, up from $379, reflecting inflation and component shortages. It adds a customizable action button for the Muse voice assistant, extends battery life to 9 hours from 8, and comes in Aviator, Wayfarer and new Zena cat-eye designs. Meta also launched an FDA-cleared hearing-aid feature at a $150 activation fee, or via its Meta One subscription later this year.