Meta's Got New Smart Glasses at a Lower Price, Plus a Kylie Jenner Look

Meta is betting that a lower price and a splash of celebrity glamour will make its smart glasses a summer must-have — but the company is sticking with the same camera design and privacy policies that have drawn scrutiny. In a summer lineup refresh, Meta has introduced three new styles for its display-free smart glasses: Fury, Adventurer, and Starfire — the last co-designed with Kylie Jenner. The price has been trimmed by $50 to $249, making the AI-powered eyewear more accessible. However, the camera hardware remains unchanged from the previous Ray-Ban Meta generation, and no updates have been made to Meta’s AI privacy policies, which have been criticized for how they handle image data and always-on microphones.

The move comes two years after Meta launched its second-generation Ray-Ban Stories, which improved on the original 2021 model but failed to ignite mass adoption. The smart glasses category remains niche, with competitors like Amazon’s Echo Frames and Snap’s Spectacles struggling for mainstream traction. By adding a celebrity collaborator and a lower price point, Meta hopes to tap into fashion-forward consumers who may have been hesitant before.

Key details: The three new styles — Fury (bold angular frames), Adventurer (sporty wraparound), and Starfire (cat-eye with Kylie Jenner’s aesthetic) — are available now on Meta’s website and through Ray-Ban retailers. The glasses retain the Qualcomm Snapdragon AR1 Gen1 chip, 12MP ultra-wide camera, and open-ear speakers. They offer hands-free access to Meta AI, voice commands for messaging, and live video calling. Privacy features include a physical camera shutter and a privacy LED, but critics note that the device is always listening for hotwords and that Meta’s data handling remains opaque.

Analysis: The smart glasses market is at a crossroads. While Meta’s investment in augmented reality with Orion on the horizon, these display-free glasses are a bridge product. The Kylie Jenner collaboration signals an attempt to make the tech fashionable, but privacy concerns continue to hang over the category. “Without a clear privacy roadmap, every new style feels like a gamble,” said Carolina Milanesi, a tech analyst at Creative Strategies. “The lower price helps, but it’s not enough to sway skeptics.” Competitors like Google and Apple are reportedly working on similar devices, raising the stakes for Meta to prove its smart glasses can be both desirable and trustworthy.

Outlook: The success of these new glasses will depend on whether celebrity cachet and a lower price can overcome entrenched privacy fears. Meta is likely to use the summer sales data to inform its next-generation smart glasses, which are expected to include a display in late 2025 or 2026. Milestones to watch: third-quarter sales numbers, any privacy policy updates, and consumer reviews on comfort and style. If the Kylie Jenner effect wears off quickly, Meta may need to rethink its approach entirely.