Ray-Ban Meta Glasses as a role model: competition between AI glasses

Ray-Ban Meta Glasses are considered one of the surprise successes of the past year: according to Ray-Ban owner EssilorLuxottica, they were the best-selling models in 60% of the company's stores in Europe, Africa and the Middle East in the third quarter of 2024. This is despite the fact that Meta AI is not yet available in the EU and some of the glasses' AI functions cannot be used here.

As we all know, success brings competitors onto the scene. And indeed, at the official pre-event CES Unveiled, it became clear that there will probably be numerous alternatives to the Ray-Ban Meta Glasses on display in Las Vegas in the coming days. All the manufacturers of the alternatives shown at Unveiled focused on the AI translation function in their presentations, which enables the wearer to understand the person they are talking to even if they do not speak their language.

The "Rokid Glasses" model from the Chinese manufacturer of the same name, which was developed in collaboration with eyewear manufacturer Bolon, made the best first impression. In contrast to the meta glasses, the user not only receives the information via voice output, but also sees the translation in the glasses thanks to augmented reality (AR). This is so cleverly done that the display is easy to read in the lenses – and without the other person necessarily noticing. However, this has the disadvantage that the lenses cannot simply be replaced with corrective lenses. Instead, corrective lenses have to be inserted in front of the Rokid Glasses lenses using a clip-on construction (viewed from the eye).

The Rokid Glasses (like the Ray-Ban Meta Glasses) are powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon AR1 platform. By integrating the large language model Tongyi Qianwen from Alibaba, the model supports AI functions such as search, object recognition, navigation and health reminders in addition to translations in several languages. According to Rokid, the glasses, which weigh a pleasing 49 grams, should run for up to four hours on a single charge. The glasses can be charged ten times via the charging case, with each full charge taking 20 minutes according to the manufacturer.

Rokid did not reveal a price for the AI glasses at CES Unveiled, which are due to be launched on the market in the second quarter of 2025. However, there had previously been talk of 345 US dollars.

Inconspicuousness as a plus point

The Singapore-based company Gyges Labs also relies on AR for its "Halliday Glasses" model, but uses a tiny optical module that can be integrated inconspicuously into a standard-sized spectacle frame. "Inconspicuous" is also the keyword when it comes to operation: while other smart glasses are controlled by touching the temple or by voice, Gyges Labs has also developed a ring that can be used to control the smart glasses at the touch of a finger. The AI is also designed to work "proactively", meaning that it recognizes user needs and offers support without being explicitly asked for it. According to the manufacturer, "Proactiva.ai" can make subtle suggestions for persuasion during a heated negotiation or check facts in real time during a conversation.

However, the "nobody notices" approach is not quite right because you have to squint quite hard to the top right to see the – – display, which is tiny compared to the Rokid Glasses. According to the manufacturer, the resolution of the micro-display is 400 × 400 pixels. As the optical module works independently of the actual lenses, corrective lenses can be used without any problems. The manufacturer promises a full 12 hours of continuous use per battery charge.

According to Gyges Labs, Halliday Glasses will be priced at 489 US dollars and go on sale at the end of March / beginning of April. However, if you take a closer look at the company's website, you will notice that a suitable Kickstarter campaign is due to start at the end of January.

Like the Meta Glasses only better

The Loomos model, which is the most similar of the three smart glasses to the Ray-Ban Meta Glasses, is on a similar level in terms of market launch. Like the latter, there is no display, but the competitor model is said to be superior to the original in practically all technical respects. According to the manufacturer, its AI glasses offer a 16-megapixel camera for the first time, which can be used to shoot good 4K images and 1080p videos even in poor lighting conditions. The integrated speakers would deliver "Hi-Fi Open Air Audio".

The processor used here is a quad-core processor from Unisoc clocked at 2 GHz (probably the W517), which also beats Qualcomm's AR1 according to the manufacturer. Loomos relies on ChatGPT-4o – for the AI and emphasizes that its use in the EU is unproblematic. The integrated 450 mAh battery already offers a standby time of 40 hours, plus the option of connecting a 6,500 mAh power bank to a neckband.

We would have liked to test the Loomos model at CES Unveiled, but no working model was available during our visit to the stand. Our only impression was that the AI glasses, which the manufacturer claims weigh 49 grams, are no more comfortable than the Ray-Ban Meta Glasses. Here too, however, a crowdfunding campaign is to be launched at the end of January.

Heise Medien is the official media partner of CES 2025.

(dahe)