Meta just launched preorders for its $799 Ray-Ban Display smart glasses, codenamed Hypernova, featuring the company's first neural interface wristband for gesture control. The augmented reality glasses arrive September 30th with exclusive retail demos at Best Buy and Ray-Ban stores, marking Meta's biggest push yet into mainstream AR wearables.
Meta just dropped the smart glasses equivalent of the iPhone moment. At Wednesday's Connect keynote, the company officially opened preorders for its $799 Ray-Ban Display glasses - and they're unlike anything we've seen before.
The Display, internally known as Hypernova, represents Meta's first true augmented reality consumer product. Unlike previous smart glasses that relied on audio or basic notifications, these feature an actual in-lens display that projects full-color apps directly into your field of vision. The magic happens through Meta's new Neural Band, a wrist-worn gesture controller that lets you navigate without touching your phone or the glasses themselves.
The Verge's Victoria Song got hands-on time with the Display glasses and found the monocular design - where the display only appears in the right lens - can be distracting but doesn't completely block your vision. The 600 by 600 pixel resolution with a 20-degree field of view delivers everything from text messages and Instagram Reels to maps and navigation prompts.
What makes this launch particularly interesting is Meta's retail strategy. You can't buy these glasses online. Instead, Meta is rolling out an extensive demo program starting September 30th across Best Buy, LensCrafters, Sunglass Hut, Ray-Ban stores, and Verizon locations. Customers can schedule demos now - a clear signal that Meta learned from Google Glass's failed launch by prioritizing hands-on experience over online hype.
The hardware itself shows Meta's commitment to mainstream appeal. The Ray-Ban Display frames are thicker than current Ray-Ban Meta glasses but maintain the classic aesthetic with transition lenses that darken in sunlight. They come in two sizes (standard and large) and two colors (black or sand), plus overextension hinges for wider faces. Meta estimates six hours of battery life with "mixed use" - a conservative claim that suggests the company is managing expectations after years of wearable battery disappointments.
But Meta isn't putting all its eggs in the premium AR basket. The company also announced the Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2, available for preorder today starting at $379. These upgraded smart glasses double the battery life to eight hours, add 3K video recording at 30fps, and include a charging case that delivers 50% charge in 20 minutes. It's clear Meta is pursuing a two-pronged strategy: premium AR for early adopters and refined basics for mainstream users.
