Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2)
| Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) | |
|---|---|
| Basic Info | |
| VR/AR | Augmented Reality |
| Type | Smart glasses |
| Subtype | Wearable camera |
| Platform | iOS, Android |
| Creator | Meta Platforms, EssilorLuxottica |
| Manufacturer | EssilorLuxottica |
| Announcement Date | September 17, 2025 |
| Release Date | September 17, 2025 |
| Price | Starting at $379 USD |
| Versions | Wayfarer (Standard, Large), Skyler, Headliner |
| Requires | Smartphone (iOS or Android), Meta AI app, Meta account, Wi-Fi |
| Predecessor | Ray-Ban Meta |
| System | |
| Operating System | Proprietary Meta firmware |
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1 |
| Storage | |
| Storage | 32 GB |
| Display | |
| Display | None (audio and AI only, no visual overlay) |
| Image | |
| Optics | |
| Optics | Clear, polarized, Transitions, or prescription lenses |
| Tracking | |
| Eye Tracking | No |
| Hand Tracking | No |
| Audio | |
| Audio | Open-ear speakers (two) |
| Microphone | Six-microphone array |
| Camera | 12 MP ultra-wide (3K video, up to 3 minutes per clip) |
| Connectivity | |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Ports | USB-C (on charging case) |
| Battery Life | Up to 8 hours typical use (glasses); up to 48 additional hours with charging case |
| Device | |
| Input | Capture button, capacitive touchpad, voice ("Hey Meta") |
| Compliance | IPX4 water resistant |
The Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) is a line of smart glasses developed through the partnership between Meta Platforms and EssilorLuxottica, the parent company of Ray-Ban. It is the second generation of the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses and was announced on September 17, 2025, at Meta Connect, with a starting price of $379 and availability beginning the same day in most markets where the line is sold.[1][2]
Like the first-generation Ray-Ban Meta released in 2023, the Gen 2 glasses combine Ray-Ban eyewear designs with an integrated camera, open-ear speakers, a microphone array, and the Meta AI voice assistant. They do not include a visual display and do not overlay digital content onto the wearer's view, instead focusing on hands-free photo and video capture, audio playback, calls, and voice-driven AI assistance.[3] The headline changes over the 2023 model are roughly double the on-glasses battery life and higher-resolution 3K video capture.[1] The Gen 2 is a separate product from the Meta Ray-Ban Display, also unveiled at Meta Connect 2025, which adds an in-lens heads-up display and ships with the Meta Neural Band wristband; the Gen 2 has neither.[4][3]
History
Meta and EssilorLuxottica introduced the first-generation Ray-Ban Meta in September 2023, which itself succeeded the Ray-Ban Stories of 2021.[1] The Gen 2 was announced at Meta Connect on September 17, 2025, alongside the Meta Ray-Ban Display and the Oakley Meta Vanguard.[3] Meta described the Gen 2 as the second generation of its most popular camera glasses and made it available the same day in the United States and several other markets, with the first-generation model remaining on sale at its lower $299 starting price.[2] Meta also stated that availability would extend to additional markets, including Mexico and India, later in the fall of 2025.[1]
Hardware
The Gen 2 is built on the Qualcomm Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1 platform, the same processor used in the first-generation Ray-Ban Meta, and includes 32 GB of onboard storage.[5][6] Wireless connectivity uses Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) and Bluetooth 5.3, and the frames carry an IPX4 rating for resistance to splashes.[6][3]
Camera
The glasses use a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera and add 3K Ultra HD video capture, which Meta describes as more than twice the pixels of the previous generation.[1][3] Video can be recorded in three modes: 3K at 30 frames per second, 1440p at 30 frames per second, and 1200p at 60 frames per second, with each mode limited to clips of up to three minutes; 3K resolution and 60 frames per second cannot be used at the same time.[7][4] Meta stated that ultrawide HDR and additional video modes, including hyperlapse and slow motion, would be added to its glasses through a software update later in the fall of 2025.[2][3]
Audio
The glasses retain open-ear speakers in the temples for music, podcasts, and call audio, and a six-microphone array used for calls, voice commands, and audio recording.[6]
Battery
Meta rates the glasses for up to eight hours of battery life with typical use, which it describes as almost twice the battery life of the first-generation Ray-Ban Meta.[1][7] The included charging case provides up to 48 additional hours of charge on the go, an increase from the 32 hours offered by the previous case, and the glasses can reach 50 percent charge in about 20 minutes.[1][2]
Design
The Gen 2 keeps the appearance of standard Ray-Ban frames, with the technology built into acetate frames. It is offered in the same three base styles as the first generation: Wayfarer (in Standard and Large sizes), Skyler, and Headliner.[2][3] The glasses are sold in black and tan finishes alongside additional limited-time seasonal colors, and lens choices include clear, polarized, photochromic Transitions, and prescription options fitted through EssilorLuxottica.[2]
Software
The Gen 2 integrates Meta AI, activated by the phrase "Hey Meta," for hands-free questions, capture, playback control, and camera-based assistance such as identifying objects in view.[4] At announcement, Meta expanded the glasses' live translation feature to add German and Portuguese, bringing support to six languages for back-and-forth conversation, with offline use available in airplane mode using pre-downloaded language packs.[1] Meta also announced a conversation focus feature that uses the open-ear speakers to amplify the voice of the person a wearer is speaking with in noisy environments; it was described as arriving through a software update rather than at launch.[1][8] The glasses pair with the Meta AI companion app for iOS and Android, which is used to import and edit captured media, manage settings, and update firmware, and a Meta account is required.[3]
Comparison with the 2023 Ray-Ban Meta
| Feature | Ray-Ban Meta (2023) | Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) |
|---|---|---|
| Camera | 12 MP ultra-wide | 12 MP ultra-wide |
| Maximum video | 1080p, up to 60 seconds | 3K, up to 3 minutes |
| Battery (glasses) | Up to about 4 hours | Up to about 8 hours |
| Charging case | Up to 36 hours | Up to 48 hours |
| Fast charge | Not specified | 50% in about 20 minutes |
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1 | Qualcomm Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1 |
| Storage | 32 GB | 32 GB |
| Microphones | 5 | 6 |
| Starting price | $299 | $379 |
Sources: Meta launch materials and reporting for each generation.[1][3][7]
Reception
Coverage of the announcement framed the Gen 2 as an incremental refresh of an already popular product, with the longer battery life, faster charging, and 3K video described as the most notable upgrades while the underlying processor, storage, and overall design carried over from the 2023 model.[7][3] Reporting also drew a clear line between the Gen 2 and the higher-priced Meta Ray-Ban Display, noting that the Gen 2 remained a camera-first device without an in-lens display or the Meta Neural Band.[4]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 "Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) Now With Up to 2X the Battery Life and Better Video Capture". 2025-09-17. https://about.fb.com/news/2025/09/ray-ban-meta-gen-2-better-battery-life-video-capture/.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 "Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) Available Now With Up to 2x the Battery Life and Better Video Capture". 2025-09-17. https://www.meta.com/blog/ray-ban-meta-gen-2-now-available-ai-glasses-extended-battery-life-3k-video/.
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 "Everything Meta announced at Connect 2025: Second-gen Ray-Ban Meta, Oakley Meta Vanguard and Meta Ray-Ban Display". 2025-09-17. https://www.engadget.com/wearables/everything-meta-announced-at-connect-2025-second-gen-ray-ban-meta-oakley-meta-vanguard-and-meta-ray-ban-display-100007120.html.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "The Regular Ray-Ban Meta Glasses Get A Gen 2 Upgrade". 2025-09-17. https://www.uploadvr.com/ray-ban-meta-gen-2-announced-preorders/.
- ↑ "Ray-Ban Meta Collection". https://www.qualcomm.com/xr-vr-ar/device-finder/ray-ban-meta-collection.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "Meta unveils Ray-Ban Display and Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) smart glasses". 2025-09-17. https://m.gsmarena.com/meta_rayban_display_and_rayban_meta_gen_2_smart_glasses_debut-news-69560.php.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 "Ray-Ban Meta 'Gen 2' smart glasses deliver 2x battery, 3K video, $379". 2025-09-17. https://9to5google.com/2025/09/17/ray-ban-meta-gen-2-battery-video-upgrades/.
- ↑ "Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 Glasses Launch With 8-Hour Battery and 3K Video". 2025-09-17. https://www.auganix.org/xr-news-meta-ray-ban-gen-2/.