Overview

• Meta is internally testing facial recognition and always-on AI for its smart glasses, raising privacy and indicator-light concerns.
• The facial recognition feature would allow wearers to identify people by name, but bystanders cannot opt out of being scanned.
• Apple is developing a custom low-power chip for its smart glasses, based on Apple Watch silicon, with mass production targeted for 2026–2027.
• Apple’s smart glasses lineup will reportedly include non-AR glasses similar to Meta’s Ray-Bans and AR-enabled glasses, both expected within two years.
• Meta faces challenges with battery life, as current prototypes running live AI modes last only 30 minutes, while future models aim for hours of use.