AI glasses have gained popularity in recent years, offering many new possibilities such as always-available AI assistants or cameras. However, one often-overlooked feature is their open-ear speaker system. AI glasses like Ray-Ban Meta are equipped with speakers that send sound directly to the user's ears, allowing them to listen to music, take calls, or receive notifications. However, can they fully replace earbuds or headphones? When the first-generation Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses were launched in October 2023, the general reaction was mixed.
On one hand, they closely resemble ordinary Ray-Ban glasses while housing impressive technology; on the other hand, the glasses feature a camera on the user's face, capable of recording or even live-streaming what they see, which naturally sparked some backlash, leading certain organizations like MSC Cruises and Royal Caribbean to ban or restrict the use of smart glasses. As this situation evolved, several companies, including Meta, began producing AI smart glasses that do not include a camera.
Ray-Ban Meta Audio Offers a Private Music Experience
Ray-Ban Meta Audio provides most of the same features as its camera-equipped counterparts, but with enhanced privacy. At a glance, two tiny speakers are fully embedded within the glasses, striving to make them appear devoid of internal technology, and they cannot compete with headphones designed for optimal portable sound quality. If sound quality is your only concern, AI smart glasses are not the best choice. However, in terms of usability, portability, and comfort, AI smart glasses offer several key advantages that headphones, or even earbuds, cannot match.
The main advantage of using AI smart glasses as a headphone alternative is that they are not a separate device you need to carry. They are not headphones; they are your glasses. They sit quietly on your face, ready for use at any moment. For those who already wear glasses, they integrate almost seamlessly into daily life.
Advantages of AI Glasses for Calls
The second obvious advantage is that they do not cover your ears. Headphones, especially high-quality ones, do their utmost to isolate you from your surroundings. This is great when you want to be fully immersed in music, but it also means you cannot hear important audio cues from your environment, like car horns or someone calling your name. AI glasses provide a distinctly different listening experience, allowing you to enjoy music or podcasts while remaining aware of your surroundings. You can even converse with a store clerk without having to turn off the music. A simple swipe on the side of the glasses lowers the volume, making it easy to maintain a conversation while background music plays, just like in a car or restaurant.
While promotional materials often depict people having full conversations with AI assistants, asking about quarterly reports and stock market trends, everyday usage is typically much more mundane yet practical. AI voice reading incoming messages and alerts is extremely helpful, especially when you are trying to limit how often you check your phone; otherwise, you might find yourself mindlessly scrolling for minutes. Yes, any pair of headphones or earbuds can do this when paired with Siri or Google Gemini, but that only applies if you happen to be wearing the headphones at the moment you receive a message.
In contrast, smart glasses are worn at all times, ready to alert you the instant a message arrives.
This also highlights a key feature where AI glasses excel over headphones in phone calls. Whether making a quick call on a busy street or having a long, deep conversation with a loved one while washing dishes, talking through glasses instead of headphones can address several issues, the most significant being fatigue. Holding a phone to your ear for long periods can be quite tiring. While headphones can alleviate this, over-ear models can become hot after extended use, and earbuds isolate you from the surrounding world. Wearing glasses does not trap heat, allowing you to move freely, hear street sounds, and even watch TV while staying on the call.
Of course, the privacy of open-ear speakers can never match that of headphones; if you are sitting in a quiet room with others, they may hear your entire conversation. However, when walking down the street or sitting next to someone on a bus or train, sound leakage is minimal. If you have been avoiding using AI smart glasses due to privacy concerns or wary glances, it may be time to consider a model without a camera. The value of open-ear speakers alone might justify the price of the glasses, especially if your sound quality requirements are not as high as your quality of life expectations.
This could even help you meaningfully reduce screen time.