TL;DR
- A rumor suggests the 2025 version of Ray-Ban Meta AR glasses could include a display.
- This would be a first for the popular tech product, which currently does not display any visual information.
- Android XR, a new operating system, will offer this functionality on forthcoming AR glasses from Google in 2025, too.
Although Snapchat Spectacles was the first product to make the idea of smart glasses actually land with consumers, the Ray-Ban Meta AR glasses are undeniably the king of mobile VR today. Available as sunglasses as well as traditional glasses, they give you access to a digital assistant through audio commands and allow you to record pictures and videos from a cool first-person perspective.
The most recent version of Ray-Ban Meta glasses launched in late 2023, meaning we are due for a third-generation model soon. As one would expect, rumors suggest that could happen in the first half of 2025. However, a new rumor from Financial Times suggests these glasses could have a brand new feature: a display.
Currently, Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses don’t show you anything visually while you wear them. You can hear responses from the digital assistant and check your connected phone for other pieces of info, but there is no displayed visual content. With that in mind, the third-gen model having a display would be a significant change.
According to FT, the display would only show simple things, such as text. Theoretically, the display could also show navigation directions, notifications from your phone/smartwatch, and more. However, video feeds and even high-quality images would likely not be supported.
This rumor comes on the heels of Google’s announcement of Android XR, a brand new operating system specifically designed for XR devices. Alongside this announcement, Google confirmed it will announce its own AR glasses running Android XR in 2025. These glasses — which currently don’t have a confirmed commercial name — would be a significant competitor to Meta’s smart glasses, and we know they will also have a display. As such, if Meta’s third-generation Ray-Bans don’t include a display, it would put Meta behind the curve.
Of course, Meta already has multiple generations of its AR glasses, which puts it ahead of Google in mindshare. Regardless, it appears 2025 will be a hot year for AR glasses as the industry starts to finally heat up.