Meta has opened pre-orders for Ray-Ban Meta Audio, its first camera-free AI glasses, starting at $349, with shipping set for 13 October 2026. Announced at Connect 2026 with EssilorLuxottica, the pair keeps open-ear music, calls, and Meta AI, and drops the camera that has driven privacy criticism of earlier Ray-Ban Meta models.

What Meta announced

Ray-Ban Meta Audio packs earbuds-style audio and Meta AI into what Meta calls its lightest and slimmest AI glasses yet. Official specs put the frames at 43 grams, with adjustable temple tips, swappable or adjustable nose pads, and overextension hinges. Meta rates up to 12 hours of listening, calls, and AI talk on a charge, plus up to 48 hours more from the included charging case.

Buyers get 23 colour and lens combinations across two styles: Clubmaster and Burbank. Both support a wide range of optical prescriptions. Controls match the camera Ray-Ban Meta line: swipe for volume, tap or say “Hey Meta” for the assistant. Open-ear music and calls sit closer to smartwatches with speakers and mics than to phone-first earbuds, and the call stack is the wearable audio lane readers already compare with smartwatches that can make phone calls. There is no photo or video capture.

Meta’s Connect post frames Audio as part of a broader AI glasses push that also includes Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 3), more Meta Glasses styles, and Muse, Meta’s personal AI agent for hands-free tasks on glasses, in the same class of AI agents that take actions for users without reaching for a phone. Gen 3, for buyers who still want a camera, starts at $449, adds a slimmer design and up to nine hours of battery, and is listed as available now.

Price and ship window

US pricing starts at $349, with pre-orders live from the Connect reveal and shipping from 13 October. Canadian coverage cites a higher local start (about C$429), so treat regional storefronts as the source of truth for tax and currency.

Hands-on coverage notes the trade-off: Audio undercuts Gen 3 on price and weight, but older Gen 2 camera models still sit near the same money with a camera included. Meta is selling a privacy and battery story, not a bargain versus prior camera SKUs.

Why the camera-free cut matters

Camera Ray-Ban Meta glasses have faced a public backlash over always-available recording. Tom’s Guide’s Connect hands-on casts Audio as Meta’s attempt to calm that worry: same AI and audio stack, no recording hardware. MobileSyrup’s demo coverage also flags a separate Hearing Enhancement option Meta plans later (about $150 or via Meta One), aimed at clearer conversation audio for mild to moderate hearing loss. Press messaging on which styles get that feature first has been mixed, so treat Hearing Enhancement as upcoming and unconfirmed for Audio at launch. Confirm against Meta’s own page before stating availability.

For readers who want Meta AI on their face without looking like a camera crew, Audio is the clearest Connect SKU. For capture, Gen 3 remains the camera path.

Key facts

Price: from $349 (US); regional pricing varies
Ship date: 13 October 2026
Weight: 43 g
Battery: up to 12 hours + up to 48 hours from case
Camera: none
Styles: Clubmaster, Burbank (23 colour/lens combos); prescription support
Compared: Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3 from $449, up to 9 hours, 12 MP / 3K video

What to watch next

Pre-orders are open now. Watch Meta’s store for regional pricing, case and prescription options, and any firm line on Hearing Enhancement for Audio versus Gen 3. ImpartPad will track nearby Meta hardware from the same Connect week as those ship windows firm up.