Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses Second Generation: Camera Improvements and Battery Life Facing Privacy Challenges and Meta AI App Experience

Specifications and Design of the Second Generation

The New Generation: The second-generation Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, priced at $379, offer a direct upgrade to the successful original model. Although they are $80 more expensive, they justify this with improved specifications. They feature an upgraded 12-megapixel camera, allowing for 3K photos and videos, with shooting options up to 60 frames per second and slow-motion video support. Additionally, the glasses' battery has seen significant improvement, providing up to 8 hours of mixed use, or 5 to 6 hours of continuous use; however, this rate decreases when recording high-definition video (which is limited to three minutes per clip).

The Optimal Choice: The second-generation Meta glasses are the optimal choice for most users, thanks to their user-friendly design and competitive price. Although they don't offer the same sports camera capabilities as Oakley Meta Vanguards, priced at $499, or the integrated in-lens display available in the Meta Ray Ban Display glasses, which cost up to $799, they provide an excellent balance between performance and value.

Daily Use Experience and Audio Performance

Design and Audio Performance: After a month of testing the second-generation Ray-Ban Meta glasses, a significant similarity was observed with the previous version of Ray-Ban Meta glasses in weight and design, with the addition of some new colors. While music playback performance via the built-in speakers was acceptable, it is preferable to use wireless earbuds for a better audio experience. In contrast, the glasses provided excellent performance for podcast and phone calls. The touch controls on the sides of the frame also work effectively, which is a strong point, as excessive sensitivity of touch controls in wearable devices often leads to unintentional interactions.

Comfort and Lenses: The glasses are lightweight compared to similar wearable devices from before. However, these glasses may leave clear red marks on the sides of the nose bridge after wearing them for long hours. Some users prefer polarized lenses, a feature not directly offered by Meta. However, Transitions lens options are available that effectively adapt to different light levels, although they may not provide sufficient darkening on very sunny days.

Meta AI Assistant: Capabilities and Challenges

AI Experience: While using the glasses on a stroll along Ocean Beach in San Francisco, where a marine creature resembling a dolphin was washed ashore, Meta's AI assistant was unable to identify the animal's species. However, it confirmed that the creature was dead and should not be touched, then provided a number to contact the city's animal control services.

Power and Flexibility: The Artificial Intelligence features in these glasses are a double-edged sword; they offer both power and flexibility. On one hand, they provide highly practical features like instant translation and voice map directions. On the other hand, Meta's excessive commitment to integrating AI into all its products raises concerns, especially after user experiences in filtering Facebook feeds from unwanted automated content.

Meta AI App and the Controversial "Vibes" Service

The "Bad Vibes" Problem: The glasses' functions are controlled through the unified Meta AI app. While photos and videos are automatically transferred, it may sometimes require opening the app to import files from the glasses. A major issue in the app's user experience is what is called "bad vibes." Upon opening the Meta AI app to view captured photos and videos, users are first confronted with Meta's new and controversial "Vibes" service. This service is a continuous stream of low-quality videos broadcast by Meta to its app users. Meta's "Vibes" service is very similar to OpenAI's Sora application, a leading artificial intelligence model for converting text into realistic videos, which was unveiled in February 2024 and launched in December 2024, but here in Meta's app, it offers lower quality. (Sources: DataCamp، The Verge).

Unwanted Content: When trying to find a recent photo taken with the glasses, the user finds themselves forced to bypass a flood of unwanted Artificial Intelligence videos. Users may, at best, see clips of strange AI-generated cats riding motorcycles or dancing to hip-hop. At worst, and most commonly, embarrassing political videos may appear, such as unrealistic scenarios of public figures being arrested or comedic clips distorting known symbols. This completely contradicts the primary purpose of the glasses, which is to enable users to capture realistic images of the real world and interact with it naturally.

An Uncancellable Feature: The "Vibes" service is an undesirable feature that users find difficult to unsubscribe from, and it has become an integral part of the Meta Ray-Ban glasses user experience. One constant aspect of all Meta glasses is that they constantly remind users they are wearing a device produced by Meta, a company known for its long history of handling user data, and whose leader shows an increasing tendency towards control.

Privacy and Social Concerns

General Impression: Despite the excellent performance of the glasses, there is a reluctance to wear them in public places. The user notices increasing suspicious glances in places like buses. This may, fairly enough, be related to the aesthetic aspect; friends pointed out that the square-framed glasses did not fit his face well, with one describing them as "looking wrong" while wearing them in a restaurant.

Privacy Risks: Regardless of the aesthetic aspect, these devices are fraught with privacy-related risks. With the widespread adoption of surveillance technologies, it has become extremely difficult to ignore privacy rights. This is evident in users purchasing modification kits to disable the indicator light on Meta glasses, which shows when the glasses are recording. There are also use cases for recording videos to harass service workers, raising serious concerns about the misuse of these technologies.

A Sense of Unease: Although I would not describe these glasses as being designed for harassment, the user's feeling when wearing them in certain contexts raises concerns, making them feel as if they are part of the problem.