Meta Platforms (META) Stock Rises 4% on New Ray-Ban Smart Glasses Launch

TLDR

• Meta launched two new prescription Ray-Ban smart glasses starting at $499
• The Ray-Ban Meta Blayzer Optics and Scriber Optics go on sale April 14 at optical retailers
• New software features include nutrition tracking, live translation across 20 languages, and hands-free WhatsApp summaries
• Meta holds 76.1% of the global smart glasses market; shipments expected to hit 13.4 million units in 2026
• META stock is still down around 19% year-to-date despite Tuesday’s gain

Meta Platforms launched two new prescription-compatible Ray-Ban smart glasses on Tuesday, priced from $499. The move extends Meta’s lead in a wearables market it already dominates.

The two new models — Ray-Ban Meta Blayzer Optics and Ray-Ban Meta Scriber Optics — are available for pre-order now on the Meta and Ray-Ban websites. They’ll hit optical retailers in the U.S. and select international markets on April 14.

The glasses are built to fit a wider range of users, supporting nearly all prescription types. They feature overextension hinges, interchangeable nose pads, and optician-adjustable temple tips.

CEO Mark Zuckerberg has pointed out that billions of people wear glasses or contacts — making prescription support a logical step for the product line.

Meta also expanded colors and lens options for its Oakley Meta Vanguard and HSTN lines. Three limited-edition seasonal colors are rolling out for Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2.

The company is bringing Ray-Ban Meta and Oakley Meta glasses to new international markets in the coming months, including Japan, Korea, Singapore, Chile, Colombia, and Peru.

On the software side, Meta is adding a nutrition tracking feature to the glasses. Hands-free WhatsApp summaries and recall are entering early access, and live translation is now available across 20 languages.

Display Glasses Get New Features Too

Meta’s Ray-Ban Display glasses — launched at $799 last year — are also getting updates. New features include scrolling Instagram Reels, Spotify shortcuts, glanceable widgets, and the ability to record both the display view and the user’s point of view at the same time.

Neural handwriting is expected to roll out in the coming weeks as well.

The Display glasses can be ordered with prescription lenses for an additional $200, though Meta delayed their global rollout earlier this year due to supply shortages and strong demand.

Competitors Are Moving Too

Meta accounts for 76.1% of global smart glasses shipments, according to IDC. The market shipped 9.6 million units last year and is forecast to reach 13.4 million in 2026.

Snap has set up a standalone subsidiary for its augmented reality glasses and is preparing a consumer launch. Google has teamed up with Warby Parker on its own AI glasses product.

Meta develops its Ray-Ban glasses in partnership with EssilorLuxottica, the parent company of Ray-Ban. The company plans to invest hundreds of billions of dollars in its “personal superintelligence” push.

Meta Platforms, Inc., META

META stock was up nearly 4% on Tuesday morning but remains down around 19% for the year.

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