Ray-Ban Meta AI Glasses

Thanks to Heyup, I will be reviewing the Ray-Ban Meta AI Glasses.

Heyup gifted me the sunglasses/polarized variant, so my review will be based on outdoor use, not indoor.

My use will be In junction with the RedMagic 9s Pro.

RedMagic is less popular in the US so we will see if this brings any compatibility issues.

Let's get started!

Unboxing: Setup within the box was nice and minimal. There was even a satisfying pull tab to open. What came as a surprise was that no charge cord was included. Luckily I have a few lying around. When you open them to put them on, they are a little slow to get started.

Prescription Lenses: While these can be applied, I will not be doing so at the time. Based on the manual slip, it sounds like only certain optical shops are certified to replace lenses with these glasses. The given QR code takes you to a store locator where you can filter to select a store that is capable of adding prescriptions to your already purchased Meta glasses. In my case, I would have to drive over an hour away to have this done, makes it less likely that I'll add my prescription.

Charging case: As this is a charge case, it is a little on the heavier/bulkier side. The overall design however feels and looks exquisite. Getting the glasses out is a little challenging as they have to lock-in in order to charge. I found that gently lifting where the ear pieces fold helps get them out more easily.

Battery: Seeing as I only wore these outside/occasionally, I did not have any…

🤝 Strategic Alliance: Integrating Fashion and Technology

Origin and Scope:

* The collaboration began in 2019 with the launch of Ray-Ban Stories (the first generation of smart glasses) and was consolidated in 2023 with a 10-year agreement to co-develop AI-powered wearables.

* Shared Goal: To position eyewear as "the next big technology platform" while maintaining relevance in fashion, according to Mark Zuckerberg.

🧠 Key Roles Division

* EssilorLuxottica:

* Design and Distribution: Brings Ray-Ban's legacy (models like the Wayfarer), global retail channels (18,000 points of sale), and ergonomics expertise.

* Recognition: Red Dot Award: Best of the Best (2022) for integrating technology into eyewear without compromising aesthetics.

* Meta:

* Technology and AI: Develops hardware (12MP cameras, noise-cancelling microphones) and multimodal software (real-time translation, visual identification).

* Ecosystem: Connects the glasses with apps like WhatsApp and Facebook View for content editing and sharing.

📈 Commercial Results

* Sales: The third generation (Ray-Ban Meta) surpassed, in just a few months, the two-year cumulative sales of previous models.

* Innovation: The multimodal AI feature (launched in 2024 for the US and Canada) expands practical use cases, such as driving assistance or content creation.

⚖️ Challenges and Opportunities

* Challenges:

* Battery: Limited battery life (3-4 hours with AI active).

* Integrations: Dependency on Meta apps, no support for Siri or Google…

[Interacción por voz]: di “Hey Meta” para iniciar una sesión de IA; luego puedes seguir preguntando sin repetir el comando inicial; esto entrena al asistente para conversaciones más naturales .

[Función “Look and Ask”]: comienza con “Hey Meta, mira y…”, toma una foto de lo que ves y la IA responde basándose en esa imagen; ideal para aprender sobre objetos o paisajes que te rodean .

[IA en tiempo real]: durante una sesión continua, las gafas usan vídeo en vivo para aportar contexto, ideas o sugerencias —como un guía personal— mientras caminas o exploras un entorno [modo manos libres] .

[Función de memoria]: puedes pedirle que recuerde ubicaciones (ej.: “¿Dónde dejé mi auto?”) o establezca recordatorios por voz (“recuérdame enviar un mensaje en tres horas”), entrenándote para usar comandos útiles y prácticos .

[Traducción en tiempo real]: las gafas traducen conversaciones espontáneas (ej.: del español, francés o italiano al inglés); sirven como entrenamiento para interactuar sin barreras idiomáticas .

[Integración social y asistiva]: incluyen llamadas y mensajes por WhatsApp/Messenger, además de soporte vía “Be My Eyes”, entrenándote para usarlas como herramienta de apoyo social y accesibilidad .

[Política de privacidad y entrenamiento]: las imágenes y vídeos que compartes con “Meta AI” se utilizan para entrenar los modelos de IA (en EE.UU. y Canadá), por lo que tu interacción entrena también la plataforma; la IA no entrena de modo constante, pero puede hacerlo…