Meta Prepares New Smart Glasses Without Cameras As Privacy Controversy Looms Over Connect Event

Meta Platforms is expected to introduce a new generation of smart glasses at its annual Connect conference on Wednesday, including two models without cameras, as growing privacy concerns threaten to complicate the company's expansion into artificial intelligence-powered wearable devices.

According to The Information, Meta plans to unveil two camera-free styles, reportedly named Clubmaster and Burbank. Analysts also expect the company to introduce an updated version of its camera-equipped Ray-Ban Meta glasses and a thinner, lighter pair of augmented reality glasses reportedly code-named Phoenix.

The new products would expand Meta's wearable technology lineup at a time when AI-powered glasses are attracting both consumer interest and heightened scrutiny from regulators, businesses and privacy advocates.

Meta has established an early advantage in the emerging market through its partnership with eyewear manufacturer EssilorLuxottica. Sales of their jointly developed smart glasses exceeded 7 million units last year, giving Meta a dominant position in a sector where its principal competitors include Chinese manufacturers RayNeo and Xiaomi.

However, the same technology driving that growth has raised questions about surveillance and consent. Camera-equipped glasses allow users to capture photographs and videos without holding a phone, making it potentially difficult for people nearby to know when they are being recorded.

Several restaurants, pubs and theaters in the United Kingdom have already restricted the use of smart glasses, citing privacy and piracy concerns. Meta is also facing legal challenges over how recordings captured by its devices are handled.

A proposed class-action lawsuit in California alleges that the company misled consumers about its privacy protections and that human annotators working to train its AI systems viewed and labeled footage containing intimate moments, including people changing clothes, after recordings were uploaded to Meta's servers.

Meta disputes the allegations and plans to defend itself against the lawsuit. The controversy highlights a broader challenge facing technology companies as they integrate AI assistants into devices designed to be worn throughout the day.

Unlike smartphones, which generally require users to visibly raise their devices to take photographs or record videos, smart glasses can capture their surroundings with considerably less obvious physical interaction.

Removing cameras, however, would not eliminate every privacy concern associated with AI wearables. "Microphones and audio collection could trigger similar concerns, although likely to a lesser degree," Linda Sui, founder of market research firm Smart Analytics Global, told Reuters.

The decision also presents a commercial challenge. Photography and video recording are among the most popular features of existing smart glasses, and eliminating them could make it harder for Meta to persuade consumers to purchase another wearable device.

"More importantly, removing the camera from glasses that also lack a heads-up display will create a product differentiation challenge. Consumers may ask why they need smart glasses rather than Bluetooth earbuds if the primary experience is limited to voice interaction, microphones and speakers," Sui said.

Meanwhile, competition in augmented reality is intensifying. Snap recently unveiled new partnerships and software capabilities for its $2,195 Specs glasses, which are scheduled to launch later this year.