Last Updated: September 22, 2025, 14:10 IST
Meta Launches New Display Smart Glasses Amid Apple’s iPhone 17 Announcement: Coincidence or Competition?
Meta’s latest eyewear integrates a display, enabling phone-free functionality.
The debut of the Meta Ray-Ban display glasses evokes memories of Google Glass, introduced over a decade ago, provoking skepticism about its necessity. Now, in 2025, Meta appears to have strategically timed the release of this innovative product following preliminary explorations with non-display designs.
Reports suggest that Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, is less concerned about rival smartphone brands and more focused on the burgeoning smart glasses market, which could potentially disrupt the iPhone’s long-standing dominance.
The simultaneous unveiling of the iPhone 17 series and the Ray-Ban Display glasses, occurring within a week’s span, is surely no mere coincidence. This suggests that a competitive dynamic between smartphones and eyewear has already commenced.
Meta’s Display Glasses: A Contender for iPhone 17?
While smart glasses have demonstrated potential, they currently serve as a precursor to a significant technological leap, where display-enhanced eyewear stands out. Observers argue that smartphone innovation has hit a plateau, even as devices grow increasingly slender.
The core attraction of smartphones seems to be waning, as consumers are now greeted with only minor aesthetic adjustments, such as new color options and marginal camera enhancements, alongside the usual annual hardware upgrades.
Moreover, with mounting prices each year, the $800 (approximately ₹69,500) for Meta’s Ray-Ban Display glasses is notably less than the new iPhone 17’s entry-level price. The latest model also includes gesture control through a neural band, enhancing user interaction.
Therefore, the prospect of these glasses rivaling the iPhone and other Android devices is far from implausible.
Apple may view its Vision Pro lineup as the true disruptor; however, a mass-market alternative, particularly one priced comparably to a ₹3 lakh headset, is likely what consumers desire, especially if it can function as an additional display.
While Samsung pioneered the phablet and foldable sectors, Meta currently holds a prominent position in the smart glasses arena, leaving traditional competitors trailing. Even Google has been notably sluggish in this domain, seemingly diverted by its focus on AI advancements within the Android wearable ecosystem.
The Demonstration Setback
At the Meta Connect 2025 event earlier this month, the company sought to showcase the functionality of the Display glasses, a demonstration hindered by unforeseen issues. While the underlying reasons remain undisclosed, the unsuccessful demo undeniably impacted the perception of the product.
Despite past iterations, the new functionality interwoven with AI technology might be precisely what concerns Apple, especially as its own endeavors progress slowly.
Source link: News18.com.
