Meta’s diving head-first into the future with a snazzy new upgrade to its Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses — and let’s just say, Apple might want to pick up the pace. The upcoming version, codenamed Hypernova, is expected to drop by the end of this year and is shaping up to be the kind of gadget that makes regular phones feel... a bit 2010. With a built-in screen, upgraded camera, and gesture-based controls straight out of a sci-fi flick, this pair is looking more like Iron Man specs than anything else on the market. And yes, it’ll cost more than the current model — but still nowhere near Apple’s eye-watering Vision Pro prices.
What’s new
Hypernova isn’t just a cooler name — it’s also packed with shiny upgrades. One of the lenses will have a display (just the right one), perfect for quick peeks at your apps, messages or photos. The camera’s getting a glow-up too — think iPhone 13 vibes, way better than the iPhone 11-like cam on the current Ray-Bans. You’ll still be able to snap pics, take calls, and jam out to tunes, but now with crisper visuals and a splash of AR magic. Oh, and the glasses will still lean on the Meta View phone app to keep things ticking.
Meta’s also throwing in a new wristband called Ceres, and it’s kind of a big deal. You’ll be able to control the glasses by just moving your fingers — scroll, tap, pinch, rotate — all without touching your phone or the specs themselves. If swiping your temples felt futuristic before, this is next level. The Hypernova will also have touch controls on the sides, just in case you're not ready to full-on Jedi your way through the interface.
The eye-watering price
Price-wise, Hypernova could land somewhere around $1,400 — a hefty jump from the $299 base model, but still way more chill than Apple’s ₹2,90,000 Vision Pro. And Meta’s not done yet — a fancier Hypernova 2 with two screens is already in the works for 2027. Meanwhile, Meta’s also cooking up a sporty version with no screen (hello, Oakley collab!) and still dreaming big with its proper AR glasses, Orion and Artemis. Long story short? Meta’s racing ahead in the wearable tech game, and Apple’s playing serious catch-up.
