AI glasses have been growing in popularity for a few years now, and while they offer new possibilities, like an always-available AI assistant or camera, one often-overlooked feature is the open-ear speakers.

AI glasses like the Ray-Ban Metas come equipped with a pair of speakers that direct sound straight into the user's ear, allowing them to listen to music, take phone calls or receive alerts. But can they completely replace a pair of earbuds or headphones?

When the first Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses came out in October 2023, the general reaction to them was mixed, to say the least. On the one hand, they packed an impressive amount of technology in a form factor that closely resembles a regular pair of Ray-Bans.

On the other hand, the addition of a camera strapped to the user's face, capable of recording and even livestreaming anything the user is looking at, naturally caused some backlash, leading some establishments, such as MSC Cruises and Royal Caribbean, to ban or restrict the use of smart glasses.

This has led several companies, Meta included, to start producing AI smart glasses that forgo the camera completely. The Ray-Ban Meta Audio offers most of the same features as their camera-enabled counterparts, just with an enhanced sense of privacy.

On paper, there is no comparison; two tiny speakers, contained entirely inside a pair of glasses that is desperately trying to seem like it has no tech inside it, could never compete with a big, dedicated pair of headphones designed to deliver the best portable sound possible.

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