Meta is preparing to expand its smart glasses product range with a new model that does not carry a camera. According to The Information, the shipment of the smart glasses, known as Luna within the company, is planned to begin as early as October. It is stated that Meta may introduce the new model at the annual Connect developer conference to be held on September 23 and 24. It is also reported that Luna will be offered in two different design options called Clubmaster and Burbank. The absence of a camera will be the most distinctive feature that distinguishes the new glasses from Meta’s existing smart glasses.
It is said that Luna, where Meta will focus on voice interaction instead of the camera, will have six built-in microphones. These will be accompanied by speakers directed towards the user’s ears. Thus, the person wearing the glasses will be able to talk to Meta AI and use supported functions with voice commands without taking out their phone. The physical button to be placed on the side of the glasses is also expected to quickly activate Meta AI. It is stated that thanks to the removal of the camera hardware, the temples will be kept thinner compared to current models and Luna will look more like a traditional pair of glasses when viewed from the outside.
Meta Luna will focus on Meta AI features instead of camera
This change in Luna’s design may reveal a different usage style than the privacy debates surrounding Meta’s existing smart glasses. Although the company’s camera models attract attention in terms of sales, the possibility of people’s images being recorded without their knowledge has long been criticized. In current glasses, a flashing LED light is used during recording to indicate to people around that the camera is working. However, it was previously revealed that this light could be disabled and the LED could be prevented from lighting up while the camera continued recording. With the software update it later released, Meta made changes that made it difficult to use the method in question.
The company was not satisfied with this and released a new update in August against another method that allows you to get around the recording indicator. In this method, the user could first start the recording process and then turn off the LED light, preventing people around him from being aware of the recording. Although Meta’s changes aim to limit such secret recording methods, the debate about privacy due to the nature of camera glasses has not been completely eliminated. In particular, the fact that the glasses’ camera attracts less attention than a phone camera can make it difficult for people around them to notice that they are recording. While completely removing the camera in Luna will eliminate this problem at the hardware level, it will also limit the usage area of the product to audio and artificial intelligence features.
According to The Information, with Luna, Meta aims to attract the attention of users who are distant from existing camera models. The absence of a camera means that some functions possible in existing smart glasses cannot be used, such as taking photos and videos, showing the objects the user sees to artificial intelligence, or receiving information through visual content. On the other hand, thinner temples and a look closer to traditional glasses can make the device a simpler accessory that can be worn throughout the day. The six microphones and directed speaker system also show that Luna’s main usage scenario will be based on continuous voice communication with Meta AI. Thus, the product may approach a model that combines headset and artificial intelligence assistant features in the form of glasses, rather than a camera-centric wearable device.
It has not yet been confirmed by the company whether Meta will actually show Luna at the Connect event and whether it will go on sale in October. In addition, details that may directly affect the purchasing decision, such as price, battery life, weight and in which countries Meta AI features can be used, are not known for now. While the lack of a camera provides a simpler solution to privacy, it also means giving up some notable features of existing Meta glasses. However, its more ordinary glasses-like design and voice-focused artificial intelligence access can clearly distinguish Luna from existing models for users who do not want a camera. A clearer picture about the position of the product will emerge with Meta’s official announcement.