Ray-Ban Meta Glasses with AI Assistant Now Available in Germany

Meta Platforms, the US-based social media giant, is expanding the functionality of its AI assistant, Meta AI, to the Ray-Ban Meta glasses in seven additional European countries. This announcement comes with the introduction of new features, including live translation capabilities for all Ray-Ban Smart Glasses users.

Starting next week, customers across supported EU countries, including Germany, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland, will be able to interact with the Meta AI assistant using voice commands to receive answers to general inquiries.

Meta initially launched its AI technology in Europe in March, integrating it with platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Messenger, and Instagram, primarily as a chat function. Although the launch was originally scheduled for mid-last year, it faced delays due to the complex regulatory landscape surrounding data protection and privacy in Europe. In contrast, Meta AI was already available in the United States as of 2023.

The smart glasses, developed in collaboration between Meta and Ray-Ban, hit the market over a year and a half ago. At the end of last year, Meta began rolling out certain AI features for users in France, Italy, Ireland, and Spain. Even prior to the integration of AI, these glasses enjoyed significant sales success, prompting the manufacturer to announce plans for a substantial increase in production. Recently, reports indicated that a new version of the Ray-Ban glasses with a display embedded in the lenses is set to launch before the end of the year, with a premium price tag.

In addition to expanding the AI capabilities, Meta revealed that the live translation feature would be broadly available in all markets where the Ray-Ban Meta glasses are sold. This feature, first introduced in October of last year and trialed in select countries in December, allows conversations in English, French, Italian, or Spanish, with real-time translation available in the user's preferred language. Notably, this can be done without a Wi-Fi or network connection, provided the language pack has been downloaded in advance.

New color combinations for the Ray-Ban Meta Skyler model are also being introduced, including a glossy chalk gray with Transitions Sapphire lenses, while glossy black is now available with clear or green-tinted lenses.

Furthermore, Meta announced additional features aimed at enhancing user interaction. The live function, which lets the AI assistant see what users are viewing, will soon be generally available in the US and Canada, facilitating more natural conversations. Users will also soon be able to send and receive messages and photos via Instagram, as well as make audio and video calls directly through the glasses. Access to music applications such as Spotify, Amazon Music, Shazam, or Apple Music will soon extend beyond the US and Canada. However, the ability to instruct the AI assistant to play music or inquire about it will only be available to users with their default language set to English.