Meta has announced a new line of wearables, including an audio-only smart glasses model explicitly designed without a built-in camera.

The launch comes at a time of intense public scrutiny for the smart glasses category, which has faced significant backlash over privacy concerns and frequently earning the derogatory moniker “pervert glasses” or “spy glasses.”

The new camera-free Ray-Ban Meta Audio AI glasses feature built-in microphones and open-ear speakers for taking calls, listening to media, and interacting with Meta’s AI assistant. Available in recognisable Clubmaster and Burbank frames, the thinner, lighter specs offer up to 12 hours of battery life and will cost £319 (€349 / A$529).

Industry analysts are divided on whether a camera-free alternative will successfully shed the device’s controversial image. Kate Winick, a tech analyst at Forrester, suggests the release acts more like “a half step to the side, where they give users time to get comfortable with the technology.”

Paradoxically, she notes, the presence of camera-free models on the market might help “take the heat” off users wearing camera-equipped specs, as bystanders can no longer automatically assume every pair is recording.

However, tech researcher Janusz Swierczynski views the move as a positive sign that tech giants are listening to public pushback, even if core camera-enabled devices remain on sale. Meanwhile, tech founder Liz Hunter argues that unregulated recording devices pose an ongoing threat to public trust and privacy.

Alongside the audio-only specs, Meta debuted its Gen 3 camera glasses starting at £409 and expanded the availability of its display-equipped smart glasses to the UK and Canada for £749.

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