Meta Smart Glasses With AI Cameras and Speakers Coming Soon

Nothing Technology is developing its first AI-enhanced smart glasses, targeting a release in the first half of 2027 in a move that would thrust the London-based startup directly into competition with Meta's established Ray-Ban line, according to a Bloomberg report citing people familiar with the plans.

The glasses will feature cameras, microphones, and speakers, with AI processing offloaded entirely to paired smartphones and the cloud rather than handled on the device itself. The first-generation product will not include a built-in display, a deliberate choice that keeps the hardware lean while still delivering real-time AI assistance through the wearer's existing connected devices.

CEO and co-founder Carl Pei, who previously co-founded OnePlus, was opposed to building glasses until recently, when he told employees the company would pursue a broader multi-device strategy extending beyond smartphones and audio gear. That vision includes bringing Nothing's operating system to wearables, humanoid robots, and electric vehicles.

The glasses are designed to help automate everyday tasks and offer a more personalized experience, aligning with the AI-forward direction Nothing has already embedded into its smartphone lineup, including tools that analyze voice memos and screenshots.

Nothing is not moving on glasses alone. The company is also planning to release a pair of earbuds with AI features later this year, even as new smartphone releases remain on track for the first half of 2026.

The entry would put Nothing up against Meta, Even Realities, and Rokid, all of which already make smart glasses. Apple is rumored to release a pair of smart glasses next year, and Google's smart glasses collaboration with Samsung are rumored to land this year, making 2026 and 2027 a pivotal window for the category. Meta has so far launched multiple versions of its Ray-Ban-branded glasses and recently unveiled models supporting prescription lenses.

Nothing's AI processing approach, routing queries through smartphones and cloud servers rather than onboard chips, reflects the same architecture used by competing devices and keeps costs and weight down on a first-generation product. Whether that tradeoff satisfies consumers looking for a standalone alternative to Meta's platform will be the central test of Nothing's wearables debut.