The price barrier for smart glasses, once called computers worn on the face, is rapidly falling. On the 23rd (local time), Meta unveiled an artificial intelligence (AI) pair of glasses priced at $299, or about 460,000 won. Compared with last year’s screen-equipped model that cost around 1.1 million won, the new product is less than half the price.
The new product is called “Meta Glass.” Meta developed it in partnership with eyewear maker EssilorLuxottica. It comes in three styles: “Adventurer,” a clean square frame; “Fury,” with a thick rim; and “Starfire,” a slender oval model designed with broadcaster Kylie Jenner. Sales began the same day in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and other countries.
At first glance, smart glasses look no different from ordinary glasses. But inside the frame are a small camera, a speaker, and an AI assistant that responds to voice commands. If you ask, “What am I looking at right now?” while wearing them, they will answer. They can read foreign signs and take photos and videos hands-free.
The new device includes music playback, schedule management, and navigation features. Korean has also been added to real-time translation. A total of 14 languages, including Japanese and Chinese, are now supported. The AI runs on Meta’s newly developed “Muse Spark.”
The reason for the lower price is clear: Meta wants to put glasses on more faces. The Ray-Ban Meta second generation starts at $379, or about 520,000 won, while the Oakley version goes up to $499. By stripping away the name value of famous eyewear brands while keeping similar performance, Meta arrived at the $299 price point.
CEO Mark Zuckerberg sees glasses as a gateway to “personal superintelligence.” He views them as the next device that could replace the smartphone in your pocket. Meta is spending as much as $145 billion this year on AI. It now needs to prove that those massive investments can translate into actual profits.
The Reality Labs division, which makes the glasses, posted an operating loss of $4 billion in the first quarter alone this year. Even so, glasses remain one of the few products that are selling steadily. That is why Meta is trying to expand the market by lowering prices further.
The most noticeable change is the brand. Until now, Meta’s glasses have always carried the Ray-Ban or Oakley name. The new product bears only the Meta name, without any of those labels. EssilorLuxottica handles manufacturing, while Meta directly controls the pricing, sales, and product image.
This strategy cuts both ways. A cheaper in-house product could erode sales of existing Ray-Ban glasses. On the other hand, it could attract first-time buyers and expand the market itself. Which effect will prove stronger is the key calculation for both companies.
The market is still small, but Meta’s dominance is clear. According to IDC, global smart glasses shipments last year totaled 9.6 million units. Meta accounted for about 76% of that total, effectively leading the market alone.
Growth is also rapid. Shipments in the first quarter of this year rose 167% from the same period a year earlier. As the market expands quickly, competitors are starting to warm up.
Google is preparing its own product in partnership with an eyewear brand. Samsung is also making a similar device. Apple, too, is reportedly considering smart glasses. Big companies with strong brand recognition and technological capabilities are all moving in.
One week earlier, Snap, the creator of Snapchat, unveiled augmented reality glasses. The price is $2,195, or about 3 million won. While Snap’s product overlays digital images in front of the eyes, Meta’s glasses focus more on text display and AI conversation. Even though they are both glasses, their directions are different.
There are also issues to resolve. Concerns over secret photography are a prime example. Meta’s glasses light up while recording, but the struggle with attempts to conceal that indicator is unlikely to end easily.
In the end, the key is not price but usefulness. The size of the market depends on whether the product can create a reason to wear glasses instead of simply using a smartphone in hand. Whether Meta’s decision to first lower the price barrier can accelerate that answer will be the next test.
