Rokid’s $599 AI glasses challenge Meta with built-in displays

Rokid has launched a Kickstarter campaign for its new AI Glasses, featuring dual micro LED displays that provide heads-up functionality for navigation, real-time translation, and teleprompter capabilities. Priced at $599 with November shipping, these glasses directly challenge Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses by offering visual displays that Meta’s current $299 model lacks, potentially positioning Rokid advantageously ahead of Meta’s rumored $800 AR glasses launch.

What you should know: Rokid’s AI Glasses combine familiar smart glasses features with breakthrough display technology that sets them apart from existing competitors.

• The glasses include a 12MP camera, open-ear speakers, and ChatGPT integration for capturing moments, language translation, music playback, and audio reminders.
• Each lens contains a micro LED waveguide display with 1,500 nits of brightness, enabling users to see directions, real-time translations, and teleprompter text directly in their field of vision.
• Early backers can secure the glasses for $479 with a free charging case if they contribute within the first $1 million raised.

In plain English: Think of these displays like a transparent computer screen built into each lens—similar to how fighter jet pilots see flight data overlaid on their cockpit view, but for everyday activities like getting directions or reading translations without looking down at your phone.

Competitive landscape: Rokid’s timing appears strategic as Meta prepares to unveil its own AR glasses technology at upcoming events.

• Meta’s current Ray-Ban smart glasses start at $299 but lack any display functionality, making Rokid’s offering more feature-rich despite the higher price point.
• Meta is expected to announce “Hypernova” AR glasses at September’s Meta Connect event, rumored to feature a monocular display and $800 price tag.
• Hypernova is positioned as an interim product before Meta’s full-fledged “Project Orion” AR glasses launch.

Why this matters: The addition of visual displays represents a significant leap in smart glasses functionality, transforming them from audio-focused accessories into true augmented reality devices that overlay digital information onto the real world.