Meta appears to be gearing up for a major upgrade to its line of Ray-Ban smart glasses, with leaked images and reports hinting at two new models currently in development. While the tech has not yet gone mainstream, Meta seems undeterred in its ambition to make smart eyewear an everyday accessory and the upcoming versions could offer compelling improvements for both tech enthusiasts and casual users.
The leak, shared by a group known as XR Research Institute via WeChat, reveals two distinct models reportedly in the works. Internally codenamed “Aperol” and “Bellini”, these glasses appear to cater to different user preferences. Aperol resembles a modernised take on Ray-Ban’s classic sunglasses, while Bellini seems tailored for prescription lens users, possibly expanding Meta’s reach among everyday eyewear wearers.
While the outer design differences will matter to some, the real story lies in the technology under the hood. According to the leaked information, Meta could be aiming to significantly improve battery performance. Current models can only power AI features for around half an hour at a time, something critics have called a major limitation. The new glasses, however, may offer several hours of AI functionality, a shift that could enable users to rely on them for much longer stretches without needing to recharge.
Artificial intelligence capabilities are also expected to be enhanced. The glasses may support real-time object recognition and scene analysis, tools that could offer more practical utility beyond simple novelty. This marks a potential step forward from the 2023 edition, where AI assistance was often restricted to short, situational uses like taking photos or answering basic queries.
It is worth noting that despite these upgrades, the new models will not likely feature built-in displays. That means they are not part of Meta’s long-anticipated “Hypernova” project, a separate initiative rumoured to involve augmented reality displays. Instead, these glasses appear to be a direct evolution of the second-generation Ray-Ban Meta wearables launched last year.
An official release date has not yet been confirmed, but industry chatter suggests a potential launch later this year, which would follow the recent unveiling of Meta’s Oakley-branded smart glasses in June.
