Meta's first smart glasses without a camera are about to ship.
Meta announced Ray-Ban Meta Audio at its Connect event on September 23, 2026. Pre-orders opened the same day, and Meta says the glasses ship on October 13. The price starts at $349 in the US.
These are glasses for listening, not for filming. You get open-ear speakers for music, podcasts and calls, plus hands-free access to Meta AI. There is no camera at all. Meta says they are "built without a camera."
At the same event, Meta also launched the Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 3), the camera model, from $449. So buyers now have a real choice: pay less and skip the camera, or pay more and keep it.
Key dates
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| September 23, 2026 | Ray-Ban Meta Audio and Gen 3 announced at Connect |
| September 23, 2026 | Audio pre-orders open; Gen 3 goes on sale |
| October 13, 2026 | Ray-Ban Meta Audio starts shipping |
| "Coming months" | Muse, Meta's personal AI agent, comes to its AI glasses |
One note on dates: most reports say pre-orders are already open and shipping starts October 13. At least one early report described October 13 as the pre-order date instead. Meta's own newsroom post says pre-orders start at $349 and the glasses ship October 13, so we go with that.
Specs compared
| Ray-Ban Meta Audio | Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 3) | Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price (US) | $349 | $449 | Varies by retailer |
| Camera | None | 12 MP, 3K video | 12 MP camera |
| Battery (Meta's claim) | Up to 12 hours | Up to 9 hours | About 8 hours (Gen 3 is "one hour more") |
| With charging case | Up to 48 more hours | n/a in our sources | n/a in our sources |
| Weight | 43 g | n/a in our sources | n/a in our sources |
| Microphones | Count not published | New 6-mic array | n/a in our sources |
| Styles | Clubmaster, Burbank | Aviator, Wayfarer, Zena | Wayfarer and others |
| Color and lens combos | 23 | 27 | n/a in our sources |
| Status | Ships October 13 | On sale now | Older model, still sold |
Battery numbers are Meta's claims, not our tests. Where a cell says "n/a in our sources", we did not find a number we could check.
Prices outside the US
Mixed reports Ray-Ban Meta Audio at £319 in the UK and €349 in Germany. Prices also climb with lens choice. Ecoustics reports some Clubmaster and Burbank versions with Transitions lenses at $429 at Walmart and Best Buy, and says prescription lenses add about $100. Check the final price for your exact frame and lens before you order.
What's new in Ray-Ban Meta Audio
- No camera. This is the big one. If you have avoided smart glasses because you do not want a camera on your face, or because people around you feel watched, this removes the problem.
- Longer battery. Meta claims up to 12 hours on one charge. That is 3 hours more than Gen 3. The case adds up to 48 more hours.
- Lighter and slimmer. At 43 g, Meta calls it the lightest and slimmest of its AI glasses.
- Better fit options. Adjustable temple tips, adjustable or swappable nose pads, and hinges that bend outward a little.
- Clear calls. Meta says the glasses capture your voice more clearly than earbuds. That is Meta's claim. We will believe it once reviewers test it.
- Meta AI by voice. You can ask questions and get answers without your phone. Muse, Meta's new personal AI agent, is due "in the coming months."
What's new in Gen 3
- A 6-mic array that Meta says cuts more than 90% of background noise.
- One more hour of battery than Gen 2, up to 9 hours.
- A custom action button for quick Meta AI access.
- A new cat-eye frame called Zena, next to Aviator and Wayfarer.
- Dolby Atmos spatial audio in videos is coming later this year, says Meta.
Where each one wins
- Ray-Ban Meta Audio wins on price, battery and privacy. It is the cheapest new Ray-Ban Meta model and the only one with no camera.
- Gen 3 wins if you want to take hands-free photos and video. It also has the newest mic setup Meta has detailed.
- Gen 2 wins only on discounts. It has a camera like Gen 3 but about an hour less battery, and Gen 3 now replaces it.
Check Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) price on Amazon
Which should you buy?
- You mostly want music, podcasts and calls: get Ray-Ban Meta Audio. It does the audio job for $100 less than Gen 3.
- You work or study in places that ban cameras: the Audio is the safer pick. For example, Western Australia bans smart glasses in public schools from October 12. Rules like this are about the whole category, so check local rules either way.
- You want photos and video from your glasses: get Gen 3 from $449.
- You find Gen 2 on a deep sale: it is still a capable camera model. Just know it is now the older version.
- You need prescription lenses: budget about $100 more for any of them.
- Wait: the Audio has not shipped yet. If you are not in a rush, wait a week or two for real reviews of sound quality, call quality and battery life.
Want to see more options first? Read our best AI smart glasses guide, or use our compare tool.
Other tech news this week
- Amazon Alexa tablets arrive in the US on October 14. See our Alexa Tablet 12 Pro, 11 and 8 breakdown.
- Bose $99 Noise Cancelling Wired Earbuds ship on October 15. Read our Bose wired earbuds vs EarPods article.
- Apple holds its home event on October 13. Read our Apple October 13 event preview.
Sources
- Meta Newsroom: Introducing Ray-Ban Meta Audio glasses, new styles, plus Muse
- Meta: Ray-Ban Meta Audio product page
- 9to5Google: Meta launches audio-only glasses and Gen 3 Ray-Ban with slimmer designs
- Mixed: Ray-Ban Meta Audio costs $349, has no camera and lasts up to 12 hours
- Ecoustics: Ray-Ban Meta Audio glasses drop the camera
Image: Ray-Ban Meta glasses styles, via Meta Newsroom.
