Meta's $399 Kylie Jenner glasses will respond in her voice.

      The priciest option in Meta’s newly unveiled smart glasses collection features a small gem on the lens and a connection to a celebrity. Meta has introduced three frames branded under its name, with the most expensive one being a sleek oval design called the Starfire, created in collaboration with Kylie Jenner. Priced at $399, it can converse with users in Jenner’s voice if opted for and comes with a charging case that includes a mirror.

      The Starfire stands at the top of a lineup that undercuts previous Meta offerings. The other two styles, the rectangular Adventurer and the bulkier Fury, both start at $299, around $100 less than the Ray-Ban Meta glasses they replace.

      All three models share the same essential hardware: a 12-megapixel camera capable of recording 3K video, a five-microphone array, open-ear speakers, and no display. Meta claims that the glasses allow for over eight hours of usage, with the foldable case providing an additional 40 hours. They feature an IPX4 splash rating, and prescription lenses can be fitted in all styles.

      The distinguishing factors of the $399 model are primarily its design and the celebrity connection. The frame mirrors the slender oval shapes frequently worn by Jenner and is available in black or tortoiseshell. The gem attached to the upper right corner of the right lens, near the camera, serves as a reference to the paparazzi flashes that follow her, a detail that may be perceived as either charming or overly sentimental based on the buyer's perspective.

      The adjustable nose bridge is made of metal, which Meta mentions allows for easier makeup removal. The voice feature, where Meta AI provides everything from setup instructions to battery status in Jenner’s voice, is exclusive to the Starfire.

      A significant point of interest regarding the launch is the absence of the Ray-Ban branding, which Meta had relied on since 2023. The partnership that transformed camera glasses from a joke into the company's standout consumer hardware is now left behind. However, this does not mean that the partnership with EssilorLuxottica, the Franco-Italian eyewear giant that owns Ray-Ban and continues to produce the frames, lenses, and distribution, has ended. Meta is simply applying its own logo to the product and leveraging a different form of brand recognition through the Jenner collaboration.

      This shift towards a self-branded product lineup highlights Meta’s strategy to market its glasses at a lower entry price. Jenner was a deliberate choice due to her immense following on Instagram, the platform owned by Meta, which reaches hundreds of millions. This collaboration exposes a broad beauty audience to a product that has mainly attracted early adopters and content creators.

      The pricing strategy conveys its own narrative. By reducing the standard models to $299 while keeping the elevated price for a designer edition, Meta treats these glasses less as gadgets and more like fashion eyewear, where the frame's price can vary significantly and the brand name plays a crucial role in the purchase decision. This reflects a belief that smart glasses will sell similarly to sunglasses, based on aesthetics and branding rather than technical specs. This logic also underpins Meta's venture into prescription frames, working to make wearable AI feel like regular eyewear.

      All three frames are currently available in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and numerous European markets, sold through Meta.com, LensCrafters, Sunglass Hut, Best Buy, Amazon, and various other retailers.