There’s one big question looming over anyone who considers smart glasses tech right now: Do you want to wear something with tech on your face? And, for how long? The decision when it comes to display-enabled tethered glasses and wireless glasses is pretty different.
Display glasses vs. camera and audio glasses
Tethered glasses are really more like eye headphones that you’re perching on your face over your eyes. Although they have somewhat see-through lenses, they’re not made for all-day wear. You’ll put them on for movies, playing games or doing work, and then take them off. The commitment level might be a couple of hours a day at most.
Meanwhile, wireless smart glasses aim to be true everyday glasses. They’ll likely replace your existing glasses, become an additional pair or maybe act as smart sunglasses. But if you’re doing that, keep in mind you’ll need to outfit them with your prescription… or, get used to the limited battery life of wireless glasses. Meta Ray-Bans last several hours on a charge, depending on how they’re used. After that, they need to be recharged in their case, so you’ll need to wear another pair of glasses or just accept wearing a pair with a dead battery.
Live AI, Meta's newest Ray-Bans feature, can keep a constant camera feed on the world. I tested it out. Scott Stein/CNET
AI and its limits
You’ll also want to consider what you’ll use the glasses for, and what devices or AI services you use. Wireless audio and video glasses like Ray-Bans need a phone app to pair and use with, but they can also act as basic Bluetooth headphones with any audio source. However, Meta Ray-Bans are limited to Meta AI as the functioning onboard AI service, with a few hook-ins to apps like Apple Music, Spotify, Calm and Facebook’s core platforms. You’re living in Meta’s world.
Meta is opening up its smart glasses to app developers, although to what degree is still unknown. Meta's newest Ray-Ban Display glasses, meanwhile, add more apps but mainly for Facebook app-connected functions. Meta's also beginning to support connected fitness devices, but only with Garmin and its upcoming Oakley Vanguard sports visor for now.
Google’s next wave of devices should be more flexible, tapping into Gemini AI and more Google apps and services. But we still don’t know the limits of those glasses and headsets, either.
AI-enabled glasses can often use AI and the onboard camera for a number of assistive purposes like live translation or describing an environment in detail. For those with vision loss or assistive needs, AI glasses are starting to become an exciting and helpful type of device, but companies like Meta -- and Google next year -- need to keep introducing new features to help. Meta’s AI functions on glasses aren’t as flexible as the AI apps on phones and computers -- you can’t necessarily add documents and personal information into it in the same way you can with other services. At least, not yet.
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