Morphotonics, a Netherlands-based nanoimprint lithography company that makes waveguide displays for AR glasses, has raised €40 million to scale production and expand into optical components for data centers. The round included 3M Ventures, Innovation Industries, BOM, Invest-NL, the European Innovation Council Fund, a Dutch family office, and the European Investment Bank. The funding extends a round that began in 2024 as the company rides growing demand for smart glasses displays.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-09-22
Counterpoint Research reports that global AI glasses shipments grew 263% year over year in the first half of 2026, driven largely by cheaper display-less models like Ray-Ban Meta AI Glasses, which made up 96% of all shipments. Meta captured 94% of that display-less segment, while AR-enabled glasses, though still a small niche, saw shipments jump 449% year over year, led by Rokid ahead of Meta.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-09-21
Meta's annual developer conference, Connect 2026, is underway, with Gizmodo providing live coverage of announcements as they happen. The company is anticipated to unveil new smart glasses hardware along with upgrades to its AI models during the event.
gizmodo.com
· 2026-09-21
Polish developer Pawel Szydlowski built ZuckOff, a free Bluetooth scanning app that identifies nearby smart glasses from Meta and Snap by matching device signals to fingerprints he compiled from purchased hardware. The app has drawn over 5,000 downloads on Apple's App Store and 1,000 on Google Play within its first month.
wired.me
· 2026-09-21
Australia's government is considering banning camera-equipped smart glasses from public workplaces, a move Reuters says would be the first of its kind. Separately, more than 70 plaintiffs have filed an amended class-action lawsuit against Meta in a California federal court, alleging its smart glasses recorded intimate moments—including bathroom and bedroom footage—without users' knowledge, which was then reviewed by contractors in Kenya training Meta's AI.
yro.slashdot.org
· 2026-09-21
Australia's public service minister Katy Gallagher announced the government is exploring a ban on Meta's AI-enabled smart glasses in federal government buildings, citing privacy and security risks tied to their recording capabilities. Officials plan to consult the public service commission and hold a roundtable with major employers like Microsoft and Commonwealth Bank to develop broader AI workplace guidelines.
futurism.com
· 2026-09-20
Australian authorities are reportedly considering a ban on smart glasses with built-in cameras inside government offices, driven by rising concerns about covert recording and privacy breaches. A BBC report from Sydney canvassed public opinion on the proposal and asked where else people might want such devices restricted.
bbc.co.uk
· 2026-09-18
At a Los Angeles event, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel introduced new capabilities for the company's Specs smart glasses, including streaming integration with HBO Max and Spotify and a new AI system called Specs Intelligence. The AI system is designed to connect with other devices like iPhones and Macs, learning users' habits and priorities to help them manage ongoing projects and daily routines.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-09-17
Snap allowed hands-on demos of its Specs augmented reality glasses, including a mixed-reality soccer game that overlays virtual targets onto a real ball and courtyard. CEO Evan Spiegel described the device as session-based rather than all-day wearable, comparing it to reading glasses used for specific tasks, while hinting at lighter, cheaper, more capable future versions.
cnet.com
· 2026-09-16
According to The Information, Meta is building a new smart glasses model called Luna that drops the built-in camera found in its current lineup. Instead, the device relies on six microphones and a side button to let wearers talk directly to Meta's AI chatbot and its Muse AI agent. The glasses could debut as soon as next week's Meta Connect event in Menlo Park.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-09-16
Snap allowed journalists to try its upcoming consumer AR glasses, called Specs, which will retail for $2,195 and launch this fall. The chunky, standalone glasses run without a phone or external battery and enable shared augmented reality experiences, such as two wearers playing a virtual game of dominoes together on a real table.
theverge.com
· 2026-09-16
Meta is reportedly developing a new line of smart glasses, dubbed Luna, that will not include cameras, according to The Information. The devices, expected to launch in October in Clubmaster and Burbank styles, will feature six microphones and ear-facing speakers so users can talk to Meta's AI assistant via a side button, but will lack the recording capability found in Meta's Ray-Ban glasses.
cnet.com
· 2026-09-16
GoKawiil