Few companies have devoted as many resources to augmented reality smart glasses as Meta. The Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses are among the most popular options in the product class to date, but a far more advanced device is taking shape. Bloomberg reports that Meta is still on track to launch its deluxe smart glasses, codenamed Hypernova, by the end of the year, but if you plan on buying a pair, you might want to start saving up now.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Meta employees say the company will charge at least $1,000 for the Hypernova smart glasses and possibly up to $1,400. That is a significant step up from the $299 starting price of the Ray-Ban Meta glasses.
Of course, the Hypernova glasses are a major upgrade over Meta’s old smart glasses. Gurman reports that the key upgrade contributing to much of the higher price is the small screen located in the lower-right corner of the right lens.
Based on a demo with a prototype of the Hypernova glasses, the display reveals a boot screen when the device powers on. Once the glasses are powered on, the user will see a home screen with a row of circular app icons. The glasses feature apps for taking photos, viewing media, and opening maps, as well as support for notifications from phone apps. Other than the screen, the Hypernova will function similarly to the Ray-Ban Meta glasses.
One other notable upgrade will be the ability to navigate through the user interface with capacitive touch controls on the sides of the glasses. Users can scroll through menus or apps by swiping up and down on the temple bars and tap to select.
Beyond the capacitive touch controls, Meta is also reportedly working on a neural wristband that will let users control the glasses with gestures. Users can rotate their hands to scroll through apps and pinch a finger and thumb together to select. Meta currently plans to bundle this accessory, codenamed Ceres, in the box with the Hypernova glasses.
Finally, Meta also wants to upgrade the camera from the 12-megapixel camera of the Ray-Ban Metas and ship a new carrying case shaped like a triangular prism.
Gurman warns that Meta is still months away from officially announcing the Hypernova glasses and says there’s no guarantee they’ll even see the light of day.
Looking forward, Meta is planning a second-generation model, codenamed Hypernova 2, with a binocular display system (one in each lens) for 2027. Then there’s the Supernova 2, which will effectively be a sequel to the Ray-Ban Metas, but with a design by Oakley.
