Meta is planning to release a pair of smart glasses that do not feature a camera following a widespread backlash against its eyewear, according to a report.
Current Meta glasses feature a front-facing camera that allow users to capture photos and videos of what they are looking at.
The camera can also be used by Meta’s AI to understand a wearer’s surroundings, however it has faced criticism after so-called pick-up artists and pranksters have used it to record people without their consent.
The privacy intrusions have led to the glasses being nicknamed “pervert glasses”, with some detractors calling for an outright ban of the technology.
The camera-equipped glasses have already been banned in some pubs, cinemas and theatres in the UK, as well as in schools and court rooms.
The new smart glasses, first reported by The Information, will use audio as the main interface to interact with Meta’s Muse AI agent, with six built-in microphones providing real-time information.
The lack of camera means the glasses will likely have a slimmer profile and an extended battery life.
The glasses, known internally as Luna, are expected to be officially unveiled at the tech giant’s upcoming Meta Connect event next week.
An updated version of the camera-equipped glasses is also set to be announced, with an emphasis on the measures being taken to prevent misuse.
The company, which also owns Facebook and Instagram, has already released an update designed to stop users from tampering with the LED recording light, which indicates when someone is using the camera.
“The camera won’t start recording if the LED is blocked,” Alex Himel, Meta’s vice president for augmented reality, said in a recent post to the firm’s Threads platform.
“Some people try to bypass this by starting a recording and then covering it up. A fix for this is starting to roll out – the camera will now stop working if the light is covered during a recording.”
Another software update is intended to stop the glasses from working if someone physically tampers with the recording light.
Also expected at next week’s Meta Connect event, which is taking place on 23-24 September, is a new pair of augmented reality goggles that feature similar functionality to Apple’s Vision Pro headset.
