Summary
- Meta is set to introduce a new model of smart glasses, known internally as Luna, that will not include a camera, with a potential launch in October.
- The Luna model replaces the camera with six integrated microphones linked to Meta AI and the new Muse personal AI assistant, featuring a side button and a sleeker design.
- This development comes in response to numerous lawsuits and privacy concerns surrounding Meta's camera-equipped Ray-Ban glasses, which have been dubbed "pervert glasses" online.
Meta is looking to distance itself from the controversy surrounding its "pervert glasses" by introducing a new product line.
The company is working on a pair of smart glasses, internally referred to as Luna, which may be launched as early as October, according to a report by The Information, citing sources close to the situation.
The Luna glasses will feature six built-in microphones, allowing users to interact with Meta AI and Muse, the company's recently unveiled personal AI assistant. A button located on the side will enable users to activate Meta AI when needed. The design of the temples will be slimmer compared to existing models, and the speakers will resemble those found in Meta's current Ray-Ban offerings.
It is reported that Meta might unveil Luna during its Connect developer conference, scheduled for September 23 and 24 at its Menlo Park campus. The glasses are expected to come in two styles, codenamed Clubmaster and Burbank.
The Ray-Ban glasses equipped with cameras have faced significant backlash, earning the unwelcome nickname "pervert glasses" due to privacy violations.
A BBC investigation earlier this year revealed incidents of women being filmed without their consent and shared on TikTok. Another report highlighted that contractors in Nairobi were reviewing footage that included individuals in compromising situations.
The negative attention has resulted in multiple class-action lawsuits, an investigation launched by the Texas attorney general, and a coalition led by the ACLU urging Meta to abandon plans for facial recognition technology. Even law enforcement agencies have expressed concerns, with internal memos from the NYPD and Homeland Security indicating fears that the glasses could be misused to secretly record inside sensitive locations, prompting ICE to ban their use among its staff.
By offering a camera-free version, Meta aims to circumvent the associated controversies.
The Luna glasses will not have a lens to capture covert footage, and they will also lack the capability for hands-free, point-of-view photography and video, which was a popular feature of the original Ray-Ban Meta glasses.
If Meta adheres to its timeline, Luna could be available to consumers just weeks after its official introduction on stage.