AI Glasses Stay Hot: Meta’s Latest Product Sells Out, CTO Says Sales Locations Will Double
The buzz around AI glasses keeps growing.
Recently, Meta’s CTO Andrew Bosworth posted on Threads that the Meta Ray-Ban Display smart glasses have sold out at nearly all offline retail stores across the U.S., with try-on appointments booked solid through November.
Bosworth said the market response has been stronger than expected, and the company is scrambling to keep up. More stock is on the way, and Meta plans to double the number of sales locations this month to ensure supply. They’re also looking into whether online ordering might be added in the future.
Why only in-store purchases for now? Bosworth explained that the glasses come with a Neural Band, and getting the fit right is key. In stores, staff help customers measure for the perfect size and show them how to wear it for the best experience.
In September, Meta launched the Meta Ray-Ban Display AI smart glasses, featuring a full-color HD display. Each pair comes with a Neural Band that turns muscle signals into commands for the glasses. The product hit select U.S. retail stores on September 30, with the glasses-and-band bundle starting at $799.
Meta isn’t alone in this space—other tech giants are jumping in. Tech journalist Mark Gurman reports that Apple will enter the smart glasses market in the next 12 to 16 months, starting with a no-display model to compete with Meta’s Ray-Bans. Amazon is also working on two AR glasses: one for delivery drivers and another for consumers.
According to IDC, smart glasses shipments are set to surge 247.5% in 2025, with the market reaching 43.1 million units by 2029, growing at a 31.8% compound annual rate. Meta holds a 60.6% share of this market, giving its products a strong foundation.
Huaxin Securities notes that as AI tech matures, future AI models could execute tasks based on voice commands alone, bypassing manual app interactions. If this vision pans out, users won’t need to fiddle with traditional apps—AI will handle it. In this scenario, edge devices like AI glasses, focused on voice interaction and displaying info, could become the go-to personal gadget.
From an investment angle, Huatai Securities is bullish on AI glasses, highlighting two key opportunities: First, Meta’s new product could drive upward revisions in 2025–2026 sales forecasts, boosting its core supply chain.
Second, AR glasses are nearing a turning point, so keep an eye on segments like optical displays with strong volume and price growth potential, including: 1) companies in light waveguides, upstream glass wafers, and silicon carbide substrates; 2) displays; and 3) lenses and lamination.$META