After a successful year of sales for the Ray-Ban Meta Glasses, the social media giant is committing to the device with more features to increase its utility. The company will add more styling options with a new frame shape and colours, as well as software updates that include a global rollout of live translation and music app access.
Meta Glasses throw shades
The glasses were already available in blue “shiny jean”, tan, and black, and in the blocky Wayfarer and rounder Headliner frames. Meta is adding the slightly more fashionable cat-eye-inspired Skyler shape. Skyler colour combo options include chalky gray with sapphire transition lenses, shiny black with clear lenses, and G15 green lenses.
The social media company is also readying a bevy of software updates. Most notable is the rollout of live translation worldwide. The feature was previously only accessible in select countries. “Hey Meta, start live translation,” triggers the function, and it can even be used offline by downloading the languages. Before the weebs get too excited, though, only four languages are available: English, French, Spanish, and Italian.
Beyond the ability to send and receive direct messages, pictures, audio, and video calls from WhatsApp and Messenger, the function is being expanded to Instagram, plus iOS and Android’s native messaging apps.
Access to music streaming apps like Spotify, Amazon Music, and Shazam is also expanding beyond the US and Canada to the rest of the device’s available markets. Meta AI integration allows users to inquire about a catchy riff or sample mid-listening.
That wraps up the bulk of the features relevant to us African consumers, though. For the EU, Meta AI access is being expanded to allow the AI agent to see through the camera, letting users give more context to their queries. The US and Canada gets a beefed-up version of this feature, which will allow users to have more naturalistic conversations with Meta AI based on the objects around them.
