Meta Doubles Down on Smart Glasses with Second-Gen Ray-Bans and a New Oakley Lineup
Meta is continuing its ambitious push to blend the digital and physical worlds, and its latest hardware announcements from Connect 2025 show a clear strategy: normalize smart eyewear by embedding it in iconic fashion brands.
The company has unveiled the second generation of its popular Ray-Ban Meta glasses and expanded its portfolio with a new, more sport-oriented line: the Oakley Meta Vanguard. Alongside these, a new standalone device, the Meta Ray-Ban Display, was also teased.
Second-Gen Ray-Ban Meta: Refining the Formula
The original Ray-Ban Meta glasses were a surprisingly subtle and well-integrated piece of tech. The second generation appears to build on that success by refining the formula. We can expect improved camera quality, better audio, and longer battery life, all housed within the classic Ray-Ban frames.
Meta’s approach has been to make the technology almost invisible, avoiding the bulky, futuristic look that has plagued smart glasses in the past. By making them look and feel like regular glasses, Meta is hoping to overcome the social awkwardness that has been a major barrier to adoption for wearables.
Oakley Meta Vanguard: Expanding the Audience
The introduction of the Oakley Meta Vanguard is a strategic move to capture a different segment of the market. While Ray-Bans are associated with fashion and lifestyle, Oakley is a brand rooted in sports and performance. The Vanguard line will likely feature more durable, lightweight designs with features tailored to athletes and outdoor enthusiasts, such as real-time performance metrics overlaid in their vision.
This expansion shows that Meta isn’t just treating this as a niche experiment. It sees a future where different styles of smart glasses are tailored to different activities and lifestyles, much like traditional eyewear.
The Privacy Question Looms
Of course, with any device that features a forward-facing camera, the question of privacy is never far away. Meta has previously implemented features like an LED indicator light to show when the glasses are recording, but concerns remain about the potential for misuse.
As these devices become more common, the social norms around them will continue to evolve. Meta’s challenge will be to build public trust and demonstrate that the convenience and utility of its smart glasses outweigh the privacy risks. The success of this entire product category may depend on it.
With these new releases, Meta is making a bold statement: smart glasses are not just a stepping stone to full-blown AR; they are a product category in their own right, and they are ready for the mainstream.
