Meta to begin selling its latest Ray-Ban smart glasses in India
India gets its first official taste of Meta’s AI eyewear revolution by May 19.
You’ve probably seen them online already — those sleek Ray-Bans that can snap photos, play music, and talk back when you say, “Hey Meta.” They’re not new, but now, for the first time, they’re officially coming to India.
On May 19, Meta will launch its updated Ray-Ban smart glasses in India, making India one of the first Asian markets to receive the newest model. While earlier versions like the Ray-Ban Stories debuted in 2021, they were never officially released in India.
The upcoming launch introduces the second-generation model. And with over 2 million pairs reportedly sold globally since it first launched in 2023, Meta seems ready to tap into India’s massive tech-savvy population and growing appetite for AI-driven gadgets.
Priced from ₹29,900 (around $353), the glasses are already available for pre-order on Ray-Ban's website and will be stocked in leading optical and sunglasses stores at launch. The price varies based on the frame type and lenses that you choose.
Speaking of frame type, the glasses come in Wayfarer and Skyler styles. Made in partnership with EssilorLuxottica, it also supports a range of lens options, including clear, sun, polarised, transition, and prescription.
Inside, they pack serious hardware: dual 12MP ultra-wide cameras, open-ear speakers, five microphones, touch controls, 32GB storage, and support for Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2. Additionally, the battery life runs around four hours, which is extendable to eight hours with the charging case.
The real hook, though, is Meta AI. With Meta AI, you can say “Hey Meta,” and the assistant can describe your surroundings, translate conversations (in English, French, Italian, and Spanish), or help with messaging and calls. Unfortunately, support for Indian languages is unavailable.
Kelechi Edeh
Nonetheless, you can pair the glasses with the Meta AI app on Android or iOS, and you unlock extra features, like continuing chats from your glasses in the app’s history tab. Meta also says users will soon be able to stream music from Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Shazam.
That's not all, the company mentioned that users will soon be able to send and receive DMs, media, and video calls on Instagram on the smart glasses. And if you think this is where it stops, think again.
Meta is reportedly exploring the integration of facial recognition into its smart glasses. If and when that rolls out, things are going to get a lot more interesting, and potentially a lot more controversial.
Oluwaseun Bamisile
