In a significant shift of strategy, technology giant Meta has announced a pause on the worldwide release of its highly anticipated Ray-Ban Display smart glasses. The company cites overwhelming demand in the United States coupled with constrained supply as the primary reasons for this decision.
US Demand Forces Global Rollout Re-evaluation
The social media and tech conglomerate revealed that the interest from American consumers has far exceeded initial projections. Consequently, Meta has decided to focus entirely on fulfilling orders within the US market first before expanding to other regions. This move has led to the postponement of the smart glasses' launch in several key international markets, including the United Kingdom, France, Italy, and Canada. These launches, originally slated for early 2026, have now been delayed.
Meta described the situation in a recent blog post, stating, “Since launching last fall, we've seen an overwhelming amount of interest, and as a result, product waitlists now extend well into 2026.” The company is currently re-evaluating the global availability timeline for what it calls a "first-of-its-kind product."
Product Details and Partnership with EssilorLuxottica
The Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses are a product of Meta's long-term partnership with EssilorLuxottica, the parent company of the iconic Ray-Ban brand. The collaboration, which began in 2019 and was renewed in 2024, has yielded these advanced glasses that allow users to capture photos, watch videos, and interact with an AI assistant.
Unveiled by CEO Mark Zuckerberg in September 2025, the glasses are priced at $799. They represent Meta's first consumer-ready AI glasses and feature a unique control mechanism: a wristband utilising neural technology. In October 2025, EssilorLuxottica indicated plans to ramp up production for its growing smart glasses segment, a business buoyed by the Meta partnership.
New Features Unveiled Amidst Launch Rescheduling
Despite the rollout delays, Meta continues to innovate on the product. At the recent Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, the company announced new functionalities for both the glasses and the accompanying Meta Neural Band wrist device. A key addition is a teleprompter feature, enabling users to read and scroll through notes directly on the glasses' display via the wristband.
Furthermore, Meta is expanding the walking navigation capability of the glasses to four new American cities: Denver, Las Vegas, Portland, and Salt Lake City. This brings the total number of cities with this feature to 32.
The smart glasses arena is becoming increasingly competitive. Meta is not alone in this pursuit; other tech giants are forging their own paths. Notably, Google's parent company Alphabet entered a $150 million partnership with Warby Parker in May 2025, and reports suggest OpenAI is collaborating with Apple on a similar AI-powered glasses project.
For now, international consumers eager to get their hands on the Ray-Ban Display glasses will have to wait as Meta navigates supply challenges and prioritises the unexpectedly robust US market.
