Meta introduces subscription model for AI-powered smart glasses

The new Meta One subscription tier unlocks expanded access to AI tools and premium support for owners of Meta-branded, Oakley, and Ray-Ban smart glasses. While the company maintains that the hardware remains functional without a paid plan, the utility of its signature Conversation focus feature is now strictly metered. Free users are capped at three hours of usage per month, while subscribers receive 15 hours. Any unused time fails to roll over to subsequent billing cycles.

Conversation focus uses onboard processing to amplify the voices of individuals directly in front of the wearer, a capability designed to assist communication in noisy environments. Despite the restrictive monthly caps, a company spokesperson confirmed to Wired that these limits are not dictated by technical bandwidth or cloud-based rate limiting, as the feature runs entirely on the device hardware itself. This approach stands in contrast to competitors like Apple, which offers a similar Conversation Boost feature on AirPods Pro without additional subscription fees. Meta indicated it will continue testing these optional plans to gauge user appetite for advanced capabilities and premium service tiers.