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Rokid has announced two new smart glasses models: the Rokid Color, featuring 0.16cc microLED full-color displays weighing 55g, and the Rokid Glasses 2, an upgraded version of its original model with temples that open 22% wider. The Rokid Color can be controlled via a temple touchpad, voice, a connected smartwatch, or an optional smart ring priced at CNY 1699 (about $255), and both devices are set to debut globally at CES 2027.
Xreal announced the Aura smart glasses at Google's Android Developer Summit, built on the Android XR platform and Qualcomm's Snapdragon Reality Elite chip. The glasses connect via a wired puck device for processing rather than computing on-device, use a Sony Micro-OLED display at 1200p/120Hz with a 95-degree field of view, Bose audio, and support Gemini along with various Google Play apps and XR experiences at launch.
A new guide details how to identify smart glasses by their thicker frames, lens-housing bulges near the temples, and recording indicator lights. It also warns that some low-cost smart glasses sold on TikTok Shop and Temu lack recording lights, making them harder to detect by that method alone, while audio-only models like Ray-Ban Meta Audio Glasses have no cameras at all.
Meta's smart glasses listen continuously for the "Hey Meta" wake phrase when voice activation is on, and in the US users can no longer stop Meta from storing recordings of their AI voice interactions in the cloud. Users can manually delete these recordings or turn off "Hey Meta" entirely via the Meta AI app's preferences, though the touchpad still activates the assistant and microphones still work for calls and video.
Meta has released the Ray-Ban Meta Audio, a version of its smart glasses that strips out the camera found in earlier models. The glasses retain features like voice-activated AI assistance and turn-by-turn navigation through 'Hey Meta' voice commands, delivered via built-in speakers.
A 9to5Mac writer who tested Ray-Ban Meta glasses and Even Realities G2 smart glasses says both previews of expected first- and second-generation Apple Glasses impressed technically but offered little practical daily use beyond novelty AI demos. The writer notes the first-gen Apple Glasses, expected next year, will reportedly lack a display and rely on audio and Visual Intelligence camera features, while a later version is expected to add a display.
Some Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses users reported their devices recorded and transcribed conversations even though they hadn't activated the AI assistant with the wake phrase, including users who had disabled the 'Respond without Hey Meta' setting. Meta told Android Authority the issue has been resolved and that users can review or delete voice logs through settings, but has not explained what caused the bug or how many devices were affected.
Multiple owners of Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses, including 2nd- and 3rd-generation models, told Android Authority and Reddit that the devices captured audio without being activated by the required 'Hey Meta' command. Meta told Android Authority the issue 'has been resolved' and pointed users to settings where voice logs can be reviewed or deleted.
Multiple Reddit users reported that their Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses, including 2nd- and 3rd-generation models, saved audio recordings and transcripts to the Meta AI app even though they hadn't said the wake phrase and had the 'Respond without Hey Meta' setting disabled. The issue reportedly appeared after a firmware update, and Meta's initial support response only suggested disabling core features like microphone permissions and automatic updates rather than explaining the cause. Meta later told users the issue 'has been resolved' without detailing what caused it.
Engadget's review of Meta's audio-only Ray-Ban glasses found six microphones and open-ear speakers that matched the sound quality of prior Gen 2 models, with testers reporting clearer phone calls than with AirPods Pro. Meta says the frames last up to 12 hours with mixed use or six hours of continuous audio, and the reviewer still had about 50% battery after five hours of streaming plus a one-hour call. The glasses retain most Meta AI features like live translation and navigation, but the customizable action button offers only two options compared with more on camera-equipped models.
Meta has released two new camera-free Ray-Ban smart glasses models, the Clubmaster and Burbank, priced between $349 and $429 for frames alone depending on lens options. Removing the camera makes the glasses lighter (43-47 grams versus over 50 grams for camera models) and improves battery life, but they remain pricier than Meta's existing $249 camera-equipped glasses.
Meta has released an audio-only version of its Ray-Ban smart glasses that drops the camera entirely, offering Bluetooth audio, calls, and a voice AI assistant in Clubmaster and Burbank frame styles. A reviewer who tested the glasses over several days reported that no one noticed them being worn, since they look like ordinary eyewear, and found setup now includes more prominent privacy disclosures about how AI voice and visual data are handled.