Ray-Ban Meta Glasses Face New Rivals as Samsung, HTC Tease Smart Eyewear
▼ Summary
– HTC and Samsung are launching smart glasses to compete with Meta’s Ray-Ban collaboration, intensifying competition in the smart eyewear market.
– Smart glasses provide AI-powered features like hands-free photo/video capture, music, calls, translations, and contextual assistance through voice activation.
– HTC’s Vive Eagle glasses offer a choice of ChatGPT or Google Gemini AI assistants, support more languages than Meta’s, and store data locally for privacy.
– Samsung’s smart glasses will integrate with its Galaxy ecosystem and are expected to launch in 2026, focusing on device connectivity and independence from Google’s platform.
– Meta has seen strong sales with its Ray-Ban smart glasses, which include camera and AI capabilities, and plans to release a third generation later this year.
The smart eyewear market is heating up with new competitors entering the arena, challenging Meta’s early dominance in AI-powered glasses. While Meta’s collaboration with Ray-Ban has enjoyed strong sales and consumer interest, tech giants like HTC and Samsung are now preparing their own offerings, signaling a significant shift in the wearable technology landscape.
Smart glasses represent a fusion of fashion and advanced functionality, allowing users to capture photos and videos without using their hands, listen to music, take calls, and access real-time information through voice commands. These devices offer features like instant translation, object recognition, and contextual assistance, effectively serving as a personal AI companion right on your face.
HTC appears poised to make a strong entrance with its Vive Eagle model, which boasts an impressive battery life of up to 36 hours and offers users a choice between two major AI platforms: ChatGPT and Google Gemini. This flexibility could give HTC an advantage, as Meta’s glasses currently rely solely on their proprietary AI system. The Vive Eagle also supports translation across more languages than Meta’s offering, including Arabic, Korean, and Thai, and processes data locally rather than using it for further AI training.
Samsung, meanwhile, is expected to leverage its established ecosystem of Galaxy devices for seamless integration. Though details remain scarce, reports suggest Samsung’s glasses will feature cameras, microphones, and speakers, and will connect directly with Galaxy smartphones. Unlike HTC and Meta, Samsung’s offering reportedly won’t use Google’s Android platform, reflecting the company’s strategy to develop independent product lines.
Meta has already released two generations of smart glasses through its partnership with EssilorLuxottica, with the latest model seeing unexpectedly high demand. CEO Mark Zuckerberg acknowledged that sales dramatically exceeded projections, particularly among social media creators and parents who appreciate the hands-free photo and video capabilities. A third generation of Meta’s glasses is anticipated later this year.
HTC’s Vive Eagle will initially launch exclusively in Taiwan starting September 1, with no confirmed plans for international availability yet. Samsung’s entry into the market is rumored for 2026, though official details regarding pricing and distribution remain under wraps.
As these major players advance their technologies, consumers can expect more options that blend sophisticated AI tools with stylish, wearable designs. The competition will likely drive innovation in battery performance, AI capabilities, and seamless connectivity, making smart glasses an increasingly compelling category in personal technology.
(More on: GBNEWS)
