Meta introduces Ray-Ban Meta Audio and launches Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3
Meta announced an audio-only Ray-Ban model starting at $349 and a third generation of its camera-equipped Ray-Ban Meta glasses starting at $449. Audio preorders opened September 23 for October 13 shipping, while Gen 3 was made available immediately in supported markets.
Confirmed facts
Ray-Ban Meta Audio removes the camera and display
Ray-Ban Meta Audio is an audio-only design built around open-ear speakers, microphones and hands-free access to Meta AI. Meta lists a weight of 43 grams, up to 12 hours of use per charge and as much as 48 additional hours from the charging case.
The initial Burbank and Clubmaster styles span 23 color-and-lens combinations and support a range of optical prescriptions. US preorders opened at a starting price of $349, with shipping scheduled for October 13. This model does not provide a visual AR display or camera capture, so its capabilities should not be conflated with display-equipped smart glasses.
Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3 adds battery, audio and camera changes
The camera-equipped Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3 is offered in Aviator, Zena and Wayfarer styles, with 27 color-and-lens combinations. Meta claims up to nine hours of battery life, a six-microphone array designed to reduce background noise and a customizable action button for quicker access to Meta AI.
The company specifies a 12-megapixel camera and 3K video recording. A recording indicator remains built into the frames, but a visible light does not by itself resolve consent, workplace-security or data-protection obligations in every setting. Prices start at $449 in the United States, and availability, prescriptions and configurations vary by market.
Muse integration and practical limits
Meta also said its Muse personal AI agent will connect to its glasses to assist with tasks and longer-term plans. The announcement describes the direction of the software ecosystem but does not provide a complete country-by-country feature schedule, independent performance evidence or a guarantee that every capability will be available in every supported language at launch.
Battery figures are manufacturer estimates and depend on how the glasses are used. AI services can also require an account, a paired phone, network access and permissions. HoloNexa has not independently tested audio leakage, call quality, capture quality, fit, AI accuracy or real-world endurance.
Why it matters · Analysis
The audio-only model gives Meta a lighter route into everyday eyewear without the privacy and power demands of a camera, while Gen 3 continues the camera-and-AI category at a higher starting price. The split suggests that smart-glasses adoption may develop through several specialized form factors rather than one device that combines audio, cameras and a display for everyone.