Meta Connect 2025 concluded with a flurry of announcements, showcasing Meta's ambitious strides in wearable technology and generative AI. The event, while shorter than its 2024 counterpart, packed a punch, unveiling several groundbreaking products and previewing future innovations. Mark Zuckerberg and the Meta team highlighted a range of new wearables and software advancements, setting the stage for a potentially transformative year in the tech landscape.
One of the most significant reveals was the Meta Ray-Ban Display, the latest iteration of the popular smart glasses. These glasses feature a waveguide display projecting helpful information directly into the user's field of vision, including translations, navigation directions, and more. The glasses also integrate with the Meta Neural Band, a new sEMG wristband enabling intuitive gesture control. This innovative combination aims to reduce smartphone dependence while seamlessly integrating digital information into the user's daily life.
For sports enthusiasts, Meta introduced the Meta Oakley Vanguard smart glasses, a collaboration with Oakley. Built for athletes, these glasses boast a centered 12MP camera capable of recording 3K video, along with IP67 water resistance and integration with Garmin smartwatches and Strava. The focus on functionality and durability positions these glasses as a serious contender in the active wearables market.
Meta also announced the second generation of its Ray-Ban smartglasses, featuring improved battery life (up to 6 hours of streaming), enhanced 3K video recording capabilities, and new color options. Existing Ray-Ban owners will also benefit from a software update introducing an Audio Boost feature, enhancing real-world conversations.
Beyond the hardware, Meta showcased significant advancements in its metaverse initiatives. The introduction of Horizon Studio, a generative AI playground, allows users to create virtual worlds using simple verbal prompts. This opens up exciting possibilities for content creation and metaverse development, lowering the barrier to entry for aspiring creators.
The event also briefly touched upon 'agentic AI', showcasing how the Ray-Ban Display can leverage contextual information from conversations to offer suggestions, such as adding calendar events or performing searches. While initially limited, this feature promises to evolve and offer more sophisticated assistance over time.
While the highly anticipated Asus ROG Tarius VR headset was absent from the showcase, the announcements at Meta Connect 2025 paint a clear picture of Meta's continued focus on creating immersive experiences, intelligent wearables, and fostering a vibrant metaverse ecosystem. The event concluded with a keynote video available on demand across Meta's official channels, allowing viewers worldwide to experience the unveiling of these exciting new products and innovations.
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Originally published at: https://www.zdnet.com/article/meta-connect-2025-live-updates-reactions-to-ray-ban-display-oakley-vanguard-glasses-more/
