Ray-Ban Display AI Glasses At $799 See Explosive U.S. Demand, Prompting Meta To Freeze Overseas Expansion

Meta has put international expansion plans for its Ray-Ban Display AI glasses on hold, responding to surging consumer interest and inventory constraints domestically. The company acknowledged that demand from U.S. customers has been robust enough to push reservation timelines into 2026, making it necessary to redirect supply focus and postpone scheduled launches across the United Kingdom, France, Italy, and Canada.

Strong Adoption Reshapes Rollout Timeline

Since its September introduction by CEO Mark Zuckerberg, the $799 smart eyewear has attracted considerably more attention than anticipated. The volume of interest has grown to such an extent that Meta chose to concentrate all available inventory on fulfilling domestic orders rather than dispersing stock across multiple markets. This supply reallocation strategy signals confidence in the American market’s appetite for the device, though it delays the company’s global expansion ambitions for the time being.

Product Capabilities And Partnership Foundation

The Ray-Ban Display glasses represent Meta’s first commercial-grade AI eyewear offering, enabling users to consume digital content, manage communications, and interact through a paired neural wristband interface. The device stems from Meta’s ongoing partnership with EssilorLuxottica, Ray-Ban’s parent company—a collaboration that began in 2019 and was reinforced last year. EssilorLuxottica has already benefited financially from this alliance, underscoring the commercial viability of the venture.

Competitive Pressure Intensifies In Smart Eyewear Market

The smart glasses sector is becoming increasingly crowded, with major tech players making strategic moves. Alphabet has backed a collaborative effort between Warby Parker and its own initiatives, while OpenAI is reportedly pursuing comparable wearable hardware in partnership with Apple. These competitive developments add context to Meta’s decision to strengthen its U.S. position before pursuing international growth.

META stock closed trading at $659.43, up marginally at 0.1% on the Nasdaq. The statements and projections contained here represent the author’s perspective and are not official positions of Nasdaq, Inc.