Meta expands Ray-Ban smart glasses with live translation, visual AI, and new frames
In brief: Meta is broadening the reach and capabilities of its Ray-Ban smart glasses, unveiling a suite of new features and style options that signal a significant step forward in wearable technology. The company announced that its live translation tool, previously limited to select early adopters, is now rolling out to all markets where Ray-Ban Meta glasses are available.
This update enables real-time translation in English, French, Italian, and Spanish, allowing users to hold conversations across language barriers and hear instant translations through their glasses. For travelers and users without reliable internet access, the feature can also function offline, provided the necessary language packs are downloaded in advance.
Meta is also introducing new color lens combinations for the Skyler frame, including a shiny chalky gray paired with sapphire transitions lenses and a shiny black option that can be fitted with either clear or green-tinted lenses.
Meta is also pushing the boundaries of what smart glasses can do with the company’s AI assistant, Meta AI. In the United States and Canada, users will soon be able to engage in more natural, free-flowing conversations with Meta AI, which can continuously process visual information from the glasses’ camera.
This “see what you see” capability allows the assistant to provide context-aware responses – whether identifying landmarks, offering cooking advice, or translating a foreign menu in real time. The feature, previously in beta, is now poised for general release.
Communication features are also expanding. The glasses will soon support sending and receiving direct messages, photos, and both audio and video calls via Instagram, complementing existing integrations with WhatsApp, Messenger, and native phone messaging apps.
Music lovers will find new reasons to embrace the update, as Meta is extending support for popular streaming services such as Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Music, and Shazam beyond North America.
Users in more regions can now control music playback and access information about the songs they’re listening to, provided their default language is set to English.
The international rollout continues, with Meta confirming plans to launch the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses in Mexico, India, and the United Arab Emirates, though specific release dates remain under wraps. Meanwhile, users in the European Union will soon gain access to Meta AI and its visual search capabilities, further bridging the gap in feature availability across regions.
