Meta has officially announced the launch of its smart glasses in the South African market. EssilorLuxottica, the manufacturer of these glasses in collaboration with Meta, stated in a joint announcement on September 24th that it plans to expand its retail network into ten new markets over the coming months. These include South Africa, Israel, Poland, and New Zealand.
In an addendum to its own announcement made a day earlier, Meta indicated that the Oakley Meta, Ray-Ban Meta, and Ray-Ban Meta Optics models will become available in these new markets later this year. The list of new markets also includes Turkey.
However, the collection of more affordable Meta Glasses will not be included in this list; its launch is scheduled first in Singapore, South Korea, Mexico, and the UAE, followed by Brazil. This line includes the Meta Adventurer model priced at $249 USD, which Meta calls its most accessible option currently.
Although the glasses are already sold in the country through the retailer Evetech, which offers the standard Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarer model for approximately 10,745 Rand, neither brand has an official local retail presence. Warranty support is handled through the retailer, not Meta.
Features local buyers won't see immediately
Local consumers will not immediately have access to Meta's new feature—the personal AI agent Muse. Although Meta claims Muse is available in the US and Canada, the joint statement indicates that on the company's AI glasses, it will only be available in the US. A similar restriction applies to Meta's new hearing enhancement feature, which has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Launched on September 8th, Muse can perform tasks such as sending emails, booking travel, filling out forms, and making purchases, always consulting the user before executing sensitive actions. Furthermore, Meta demonstrated Muse Charm—a pocket watch-sized gadget equipped with a 5G modem to connect to the agent.
According to Reuters, Meta supplied Muse despite internal concerns regarding improper management of access to sensitive personal data. Meta had previously postponed the release in April to enhance security, a point CEO Mark Zuckerberg used to argue that competition and responsibility were already forcing AI labs to act regarding safety.
The Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 3) model is already available starting from $449. Meta notes that it has become thinner and provides up to nine hours of battery life, one hour longer than Gen 2. Available styles include Aviator and the new Zena cat-eye frame. The LED continues to notify bystanders when the wearer is taking photos or videos.
The Ray-Ban Meta Audio line, which lacks a camera, weighs only 43 grams, lasts up to 12 hours, and starts at $349 on October 13th. Meta informed UploadVR that this model has been under development for years and is not a reaction to public outcry over camera glasses.
Neither the Audio line nor Meta's new VR glasses, expected in 2027, were mentioned in the context of expansion into South Africa.
Official availability is likely to spark a privacy debate. As noted in a TechCentral column in July, the Personal Information Protection Act (Popia) treats biometric data as special personal information but largely exempts 'exclusively private or domestic' activities from this classification.
This column referenced an investigation by a Swedish newspaper that found sub-regional workers in Kenya viewing intimate footage captured by the glasses. It also noted that Meta conducted internal facial recognition testing and then discreetly removed this code from the accompanying application in June following pressure from civil society, although Meta states it has not made a final decision. The article also mentioned a July firmware code from Meta that disables the camera if the LED is covered or damaged.
Additionally, Meta plans to implement 'private processing' in its AI glasses later this year. According to the joint statement, this will ensure that new AI features operate 'with consumer privacy in mind.'
