Meta is expected to unveil new smart glasses at its annual Connect conference, including a reported camera-free model as privacy concerns continue to grow around AI-powered wearable devices.
The company has become one of the leading players in the smart glasses market through its partnership with EssilorLuxottica. Sales of Meta’s smart glasses reportedly exceeded 7 million units last year, giving the company a strong position in the growing AI wearable market.
Meta Camera-Free Smart Glasses
According to reports, Meta is expected to introduce two camera-free smart glasses styles, reportedly called Clubmaster and Burbank. The glasses could offer AI-powered features through microphones and speakers while removing the camera used for taking photos and videos.
The reported launch comes as privacy concerns surrounding camera-equipped smart glasses increase. Several restaurants, pubs and theaters in the UK have restricted their use because of concerns about people being recorded without their knowledge.
Meta is also facing a proposed class-action lawsuit in California. The lawsuit alleges that footage from the company’s glasses was reviewed and labeled by human workers for AI training. Meta disputes the allegations and plans to defend itself.
Meta’s Official Privacy Measures
Meta has previously explained several privacy features built into its AI glasses. According to the company, the glasses use a white capture LED that lights up when the camera is capturing photos or videos.
Meta says that if someone attempts to cover or disable the capture LED, the camera is automatically disabled. The company has also said that photos and videos captured by the glasses remain private until users choose to import them to their phones.
Meta says users control what happens to their captured content and can decide whether to share it with friends, social media platforms or Meta AI.
Can Camera-Free Glasses Solve Privacy Concerns?
Removing the camera could address some concerns about visual recording, but it may not eliminate all privacy questions.
The glasses can still contain microphones, meaning audio collection could remain an issue. Linda Sui, founder of Smart Analytics Global, said microphones and audio collection could create similar concerns, although likely to a lesser degree.
Another challenge could be convincing consumers that camera-free smart glasses offer enough advantages over wireless earbuds. Without a camera or heads-up display, the main features could focus on voice interaction, microphones and speakers.
Meta’s Next Smart Glasses Plans
Meta is also expected to introduce a new version of its camera-equipped Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses. The company could also show a thinner augmented-reality glasses model reportedly known by the code name Phoenix.
The expected announcements come as competition in the AI and augmented-reality glasses market increases. Snap recently announced new details about its $2,195 Specs augmented-reality glasses, which are scheduled to launch later this year.
Meta’s reported camera-free smart glasses could therefore become an important new direction for AI wearables, particularly as companies face growing questions about privacy, recording and responsible use of wearable technology.
