Meta Connect Puts Smart Glasses Center Stage With Audio-Only and Hearing-Aid Models

TechCrunch said its reporter tried multiple pairs. One notable demo was Meta's new, still-unreleased audio-only smart glasses, which emerged after Meta faced accusations that camera-equipped models were "pervert glasses" that could be used for surveillance. The new glasses have six microphones but no camera and no native way to record surroundings, a design intended to ease privacy concerns. They are significantly lighter than other smart glasses tested and comfortable, according to the report.

A Meta staffer emphasized entertainment and communication uses: listening to music, which the staffer said is more comfortable than earbuds, and taking phone calls without reaching for a phone. The glasses will integrate with Muse, Meta's personal agentic system, which can perform tasks on the user's behalf. That integration is not yet available to the public. It lets wearers speak to Muse and give verbal commands. Meta also plans to let users choose cute digital avatars to represent the agent when it communicates with them.

TechCrunch's reporter tried the Muse integration, calling it fun but somewhat comical. The agent requires direct speech and can become confused if the user talks to someone else at the same time. In the demo, the reporter intermittently spoke with the Meta staffer, and the agent thought it was being addressed, talking over her. In the right context, the report said, the integration could be useful: users could ask Muse to send emails or recite to-do lists while shopping or having a beer, and ask the glasses questions. The reporter asked about World War II and received a succinct, historically accurate answer.

The reporter also tested a second audio-only pair: Meta's new glasses for the hearing impaired. Hearing loss affects many families, with about 50 million Americans said to have some level of hearing loss. A member of Meta's research team said the glasses had been in development for about five years and noted a price difference that could make them appealing: many hearing aids can cost as much as $1,600, while the glasses will sell for $150.

To simulate hearing loss, Meta had the reporter put in earplugs before trying the glasses. Once on, the glasses seemed to amplify the voice of the person being spoken to. Users can switch amplification between focused mode, which zeroes in on the person in front of them, and omnidirectional mode, which picks up sound from all around, depending on how they want to experience their surroundings.

Mark Zuckerberg has made clear he believes smart glasses are the future, and Meta is trying hard to fulfill that vision. But smart glasses remain a niche that has yet to truly find its footing. At Connect, the most obvious signal was that Meta, seeking to succeed where others have failed, has cast a wide net: trying to make its glasses stylish, functional and, most of all, useful. Everyone at the event seemed to think this is the future; whether the rest of the world follows is not yet clear.