Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses Debut in India with AI Features, Priced from Rs 29,900
Meta and Ray-Ban have officially launched their AI-powered smart glasses inIndia, marking the debut of intelligent eyewear that merges classic design withnext-gen features. Priced from ₹29,900, the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses are nowup for pre-order at Ray-Ban.com and will be available in select retail outletsstarting May 19.
These innovative glasses integrate Meta's AI assistant, which can betriggered using the command 'Hey Meta.' This voice interaction enables users toperform everyday tasks like asking general queries, receiving real-time cookingtips, or identifying objects and landmarks—entirely hands-free.
One standout feature is the real-time language translation, which supportsEnglish, Spanish, French, and Italian. Meta claims that even when the glassesare in airplane mode, downloaded language packs allow live audio translation.While the user hears the translation through the glasses, the conversationpartner can access the translated text or audio on their smartphone.
Design-wise, the smart glasses come in the iconic Wayfarer frame (availablein standard and large sizes) and the newly introduced Skyler style, crafted fora more universal fit. Buyers can customise lenses from options such as clear, sun, polarised, or Transitions. Prescription lenses are also supported.
The glasses sync seamlessly with the Meta View app, which allows users toreview photos taken with the glasses and use AI to edit them. For instance, onecan command the app to remove objects from an image or enhance it with newelements using voice instructions.
Beyond photography and AI assistance, the smart glasses also support callingand messaging via WhatsApp, Messenger, and the phone's native apps. Featureslike Instagram DMs and voice/video calling are set to roll out soon. Musicstreaming from platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music is alsosupported, controlled entirely through voice.
However, while the glasses offer futuristic capabilities, some featuresremain restricted to users with English as their default language. Concernsaround regional language support, data privacy, and long-term usability mayinfluence adoption in India.
With AI tech becoming increasingly wearable, the Ray-Ban Meta smart glassesare a bold step into the future—but their real-world impact will unfold overtime.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hans India
2 hours ago
- Hans India
WhatsApp to show ads in updates tab
New Delhi: WhatsApp announced that it will soon introduce advertisements and other paid features in a major shift for the messaging app, which has mostly remained ad-free since its launch. The move marks WhatsApp's most significant step toward monetisation since it was acquired by Meta in 2014. The company said the new advertising features will be limited to the 'Updates' tab, which includes Channels and Status - features that are used by over 1.5 billion people daily. It clarified that users who only use WhatsApp for personal messaging will not see any change in their experience. Chats, calls, and groups will continue to be free from ads and will remain end-to-end encrypted. 'We've been talking about building a business that doesn't interrupt your personal chats for years, and we believe the Updates tab is the right place for these new features,' WhatsApp said in a statement. The new features include paid channel subscriptions, promoted channels in the Discovery section, and ads in the Status feature -- WhatsApp's version of Instagram Stories. These updates are being rolled out gradually over the next few months and will first appear in select countries. Users will now be able to subscribe to their favourite channels for a monthly fee and receive exclusive updates. This feature aims to offer a new way for creators and organisations to earn money directly through WhatsApp. Additionally, WhatsApp is introducing promoted channels. This will help users discover new and relevant content while giving channel admins a tool to improve their visibility through the directory. This is the first time WhatsApp is offering a promotion feature to enhance discoverability. However, WhatsApp has assured its users that these new features are confined to the Updates tab and will not affect personal messaging. 'If you only use WhatsApp to chat with friends and loved ones, there is no change to your experience at all,' the company said in its official statement. The announcement comes as Meta looks for new ways to make money from WhatsApp, which has over two billion monthly active users. For years, industry experts have predicted that Meta would eventually introduce advertising on WhatsApp due to its massive global reach and high engagement levels. While the exact launch dates for these new features have not been confirmed, WhatsApp said they will be introduced gradually and carefully, with privacy protections in place.
Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Indian Express
Why both Apple and Meta are interested in buying Perplexity AI
In Silicon Valley, what matters most is staying ahead of the competition. If you are Apple or Meta and find yourself short on talent or unable to build the technology in-house, the typical approach is to spend big. That usually means acquiring a successful company, bringing in the team behind the product, and either integrating it into your core offerings or giving the founders enough autonomy to continue innovating within your brand. It's an approach many Silicon Valley companies have embraced—some have made blockbuster acquisitions, while others have gotten burned. Last week, both Apple and Meta made headlines with news of their interest in acquiring Perplexity AI, a leading AI startup founded by Indian-origin computer scientist Arvind Srinivas. While major Silicon Valley players often work behind the scenes to quietly pursue companies they are interested in, this time two tech giants are eyeing Perplexity—at the same time. The timing makes it even more interesting, especially in the case of Apple, which typically avoids bringing in outside talent and prefers to build competing technologies in-house. Bloomberg first reported that Meta approached Perplexity about a potential takeover before the company recently invested $14.3 billion in Scale AI. Unsurprisingly, the San Francisco–based AI startup was also on Apple's radar, according to another Bloomberg report. It's not clear whether Perplexity is up for sale, whether Meta or Apple has held formal talks to acquire the company, or how close either might be to sealing a deal. We may not know until one of them makes an official announcement. While Meta has been on a shopping spree for months, Apple's name entering the mix is particularly interesting. It could signal a turning point in Cupertino's AI strategy—something many have been anticipating, especially after its underwhelming AI showing at the company's recent developers' conference. The interest from both Silicon Valley giants raises an important question: why are they eyeing a much smaller company like Perplexity? The answer may be that this rising AI darling holds the potential to supercharge their AI ambitions in the escalating battle against Google and Microsoft-backed OpenAI. When Perplexity was founded in 2022 by a team of AI researchers and machine learning experts—Aravind Srinivas, Andy Konwinski, Denis Yarats, and Johnny Ho—in San Francisco, the idea behind the startup was to 'democratise access to knowledge.' While the AI-driven search engine and chatbot rose quickly, Perplexity AI was initially mocked as little more than an 'AI wrapper.' Now, its greatest strength lies in allowing users to choose from a range of powerful large language models (LLMs), though it also has its own LLM called Sonar. The startup has built various services on top of these LLMs, giving consumers real choice and flexibility. This ability to rapidly develop and launch new features on top of popular LLMs is what helped Perplexity gain its user base and rise in popularity. As of mid-2024, it reportedly had around 15 million users. Perplexity's rise is especially unexpected in its emergence as a serious search engine contender. Both insiders and the general public have praised its search capabilities, with some calling it a potential challenger to Google's dominance in the space. Many have tried and failed to replicate Google over the years—Neeva, for instance, shut down in 2023 after struggling to gain traction. But Google itself appears to be on shaky ground. Users have increasingly complained that Google's search results are cluttered with low-quality, spammy websites gaining the rankings. As a result, many people have begun turning to platforms like Reddit and TikTok for more authentic answers. Neither Perplexity nor ChatGPT has replaced Google yet, but there are growing signs that user search behaviour is shifting—and new players are emerging. Even Google is trying to reinvent itself with a new feature in its search engine called AI Overviews, which offers summarised answers on the search page itself. While Perplexity is slowly gaining more users, it has also faced controversy. The company has been accused by major publishers of bypassing paywalls and plagiarizing content. That said, Perplexity has quickly become one of the most buzzing products in the tech world. The company is currently valued at over $14 billion. Cupertino took an early lead in artificial intelligence with Siri in the early 2010s, but the company is now virtually absent from the current AI race. In fact, Apple is lagging behind other FAANG — an acronym for the top tech companies: Facebook (now Meta), Apple, Amazon, Netflix, and Google (now Alphabet) — companies when it comes to AI. Its much-hyped Apple Intelligence has been underwhelming at best, and the promised Siri overhaul has been delayed—with no clear timeline in sight. Apple appears to be years behind the competition, painting a picture of weak leadership, flawed decision-making, and poor integration between teams. The company's recently concluded Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) keynote included little to no mention of AI—a clear sign that Apple failed to anticipate the generative AI boom and was caught off guard. However, Apple has been developing a version of Siri that is entirely based on large language models (LLMs), aiming to make it more conversational and better at processing information. This new version is expected to eventually replace the current hybrid Siri that Apple is using, but we will have to wait until sometime next year to see how polished the new Siri actually is. A major difference between Apple and other companies in bringing AI to the masses is that Cupertino is more open to partnerships—such as the one it has with OpenAI. The idea is that Apple will combine its own machine learning models with generative AI technologies from partners to power features within Apple Intelligence. It's a smart way to deliver the best of AI through collaboration. And since Apple has some of the best hardware on the market—and billions of active users—it makes sense to work with various AI companies and build new features on top of their LLMs. But the real question is whether Apple's hardware-first business model puts it at a disadvantage in the AI age—or whether we are simply expecting Apple to behave like Google or OpenAI and invest billions in AI as a core product. What's often overlooked is that Apple's business model is fundamentally different from the major players in AI. Apple is not (yet) an AI-first company—though it could become one in the future if its devices and software are redesigned around AI. While Google and OpenAI aim to sell their AI technologies to others and monetise them directly, Apple's focus is on serving its own customers—those who buy iPhones, Macs, and other devices—by integrating AI features into its existing software ecosystem. Apple is also morally accountable to its users, which is why it maintains a strong emphasis on building a private, user-focused version of AI. If that approach takes more time to deliver, Apple is willing to wait—and that's okay, even if it takes longer than expected. Apple has made a choice, and its partnership-driven approach comes with both pros and cons. The company can either compete directly with OpenAI and Google by developing its own large language model (LLM) as advanced as theirs and integrating it into Apple Intelligence, or it can give consumers the option to choose between assistants—like Siri and Gemini, for example. However, taking the latter route risks complicating Apple's business model and could create a confusing user experience, such as having two voice assistants running on the same iPhone. For Apple, its current position in the AI age is a high-risk battle. The company could open its wallet to acquire a major AI company or poach the brightest software developers to build a team of AI experts. Apple might already be quietly doing this behind the scenes. Apple rumoured move to acquire Perplexity AI suggests a potential shift in its AI strategy. In some ways, Perplexity AI and Apple share similarities, and the long-term impact of integrating Perplexity's technology with Apple's hardware and software could be significant but in a positive way. Perplexity's search tool—with its text interface, voice controls, and Apple-like design—resonates more strongly on iOS than on Android. Perhaps the secret to Perplexity AI lies in how it is redefining the search engine experience. While traditional search engines like Google (built on crawling, indexing, and ranking) constantly scan and catalog the internet, Perplexity AI takes a different approach. Instead of relying solely on static results, its search engine transforms search into a natural conversation. Users can phrase questions as they would when speaking to another person, rather than using keyword strings. This conversational flow allows users to ask follow-up questions, refine queries, or explore related topics without starting over. Additionally, Perplexity AI's responses include numbered footnotes that link directly to original sources, improving transparency. It scans the web rapidly to find the latest information, and thanks to its multimodal capabilities—supporting text, speech, and more—users can even upload images to receive detailed explanations of visual content. The result is a more user-friendly, transparent, and informative search experience. Perhaps Cupertino is exploring the idea of creating its own AI-based search engine to reduce its long-term reliance on Google. While talk of Apple acquiring Perplexity AI may still be just a rumour, the reality is that Apple needs both top-tier AI talent and a clear long-term strategy for integrating AI into its products. Maybe Apple wants to move beyond its current partnership strategy and is now aiming for full control over the user experience. Gaining access to Perplexity AI's talented team and its ready-made alternative to Google Search could mark the beginning of what Apple has long envisioned as the core experience behind Apple Intelligence. In May, Apple's Senior Vice-President Eddy Cue revealed that the company had discussed a possible Safari integration with Perplexity during Google's ongoing search antitrust case. Apple has been under increasing pressure to end its partnership with Google, which currently pays Cupertino billions of dollars each year to remain the default search engine on the iPhone. While that could mean the end of the billions Apple receives from Google if regulators apply pressure, Cupertino also needs an alternative—and a long-term bet on Perplexity AI makes a lot of sense. Though it remains to be seen whether Apple will invest in Perplexity AI or move to acquire the startup outright, one major hurdle could be regulatory approval. Apple has already faced accusations of creating a monopoly through its App Store and its dominant role as a gatekeeper—concerns that could intensify if it attempts a multi-billion dollar acquisition. However, Apple has generally avoided high-profile acquisitions. Its last major deal was the $3 billion purchase of Beats in 2014. Historically, the company prefers smaller acquisitions, usually aimed at bringing talented teams on board to kickstart new projects or to fill talent gaps in existing internal efforts. While Apple is rather cautious with acquisitions, Meta is known for large-scale deals. Meta has made a number of high-profile acquisitions in the past, and in many cases, it has allowed those brands to shine on their own. Take, for example, the photo-sharing platform Instagram or the messaging service WhatsApp—both highly successful deals that continue to pay dividends today. However, CEO Mark Zuckerberg is now under pressure and must answer to shareholders about how the company plans to win the AI race against OpenAI and Google's parent company, Alphabet. That explains why Meta is on a spending spree and actively eyeing AI companies, even though the cost of acquiring them during the peak of the AI boom is astronomically high. Just recently, Meta made a $14.3 billion investment in Scale AI, gaining access to star developer and startup founder Alexandr Wang—a Massachusetts Institute of Technology dropout who founded the company at age 19. The 41-year-old Meta CEO has also reportedly attempted to acquire Perplexity AI and Safe Superintelligence, the latter launched a year ago by OpenAI co-founder Ilya Sutskever. Meta is now reportedly planning to hire former GitHub CEO Nat Friedman and his business partner Daniel Gross, who had been leading the $32 billion AI startup Safe Superintelligence. In recent months, Meta has upped its spending on data centers investments and potential the added cost of AI hardware. Cash isn't a problem for Meta; what the company is focused on now is assembling a dream team to develop AI technology that aligns with Mark Zuckerberg's vision. Unlike Apple, which is a hardware-first company, Meta's business is more diversified—spanning its core advertising unit, Instagram's algorithm-driven content, as well as VR and smart glasses initiatives. Mark Zuckerberg often talks about the company's ambition to build a new computing platform that will one day replace smartphones, and to achieve that, Meta needs better AI models and the technology to power them. It's a massive undertaking, given Meta's presence across social media, advertising, and now hardware. It requires not only significant capital but also a long-term vision—and, more importantly, a 'superintelligence team.' But compared to OpenAI and Google, Meta has made slower progress in artificial intelligence, despite having vast resources and top-tier talent. The company's current AI strategy centers around an open-source approach built on its Llama family of models. In April, Meta announced the Llama 4 AI models, which were not well received by developers. So far, Meta has only released two smaller versions of Llama 4 and has stated it will eventually release a larger and more powerful 'Behemoth' model. This suggests that Meta remains behind Google, OpenAI, and Anthropic in the AI race. That leaves Meta with no choice but to speed up its efforts to hire the right talent. It's well known in Silicon Valley that star developers are few—and they come at a high cost. In the latest episode of the Uncapped podcast, hosted by his brother, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman revealed that Meta has attempted to recruit OpenAI employees by offering signing bonuses as high as $100 million, along with even larger annual compensation packages. This underscores just how desperate—Meta is to secure top-tier AI talent. Poaching is normalised in Silicon Valley – and certainly not new. With Perplexity AI reportedly on the radar of both Meta and Apple, it's clear that both companies are keen to acquire the Arvind Srinivas–led startup. Meta has previously been in talks to acquire the company, highlighting just how much it values Perplexity's potential. For Meta, the acquisition would be strategically important in improving its Meta AI assistant—which already serves over a billion monthly active users across the company's family of apps—by making it more personalised and better tuned for voice-based conversations. Anuj Bhatia is a personal technology writer at who has been covering smartphones, personal computers, gaming, apps, and lifestyle tech actively since 2011. He specialises in writing longer-form feature articles and explainers on trending tech topics. His unique interests encompass delving into vintage tech, retro gaming and composing in-depth narratives on the intersection of history, technology, and popular culture. He covers major international tech conferences and product launches from the world's biggest and most valuable tech brands including Apple, Google and others. At the same time, he also extensively covers indie, home-grown tech startups. Prior to joining The Indian Express in late 2016, he served as a senior tech writer at My Mobile magazine and previously held roles as a reviewer and tech writer at Gizbot. Anuj holds a postgraduate degree from Banaras Hindu University. You can find Anuj on Linkedin. Email: ... Read More
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Thriving through change: What Cannes Lions 2025 reveals about the future of advertising
I first went to the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity since 2013. Since then , things have changed. The essence has remained the same. It's bigger , better, more tech infused and buzzier than ever. As the global marketing elite descended upon the French Riviera this June, a powerful narrative emerged not just about innovation and awards, but about the very soul and survival of advertising in an age of disruption. There is a lot that goes on at Cannes and assimilating it all takes time. Dozens of awards, talk sessions, seminars, showcases, demos etc coexist with a swirl of parties. With insights drawn from this year's sessions, winners, and backstage conversations, a clear picture forms of an industry being fundamentally reshaped by technology and new modes of storytelling. The creative industry is at an AI crossroads. Few developments have shaken advertising as profoundly as artificial intelligence. Its attraction is compelling. Its repercussions are increasingly clear. What was once a novelty has now become a cornerstone of operations for many agencies. From creative conception to campaign automation, AI has woven itself into the DNA of modern advertising. Qualcomm's in-house 'Writer' AI, which reportedly saves over 2,400 hours a month, exemplifies this transformation. Similarly, Meta's new self-service AI ad tools have opened the door for small businesses to punch above their weight in the digital marketplace. Havas, one of the largest global agencies, made headlines at Cannes by reaffirming its commitment of €400 million to 'AI teammate' development while explicitly choosing not to cut human jobs. The message is clear that while AI is here to stay, but it must exist in harmony with human talent, not in opposition to it. Nonetheless , this bright enthusiasm was offset by a darker undertone. Junior and mid-level staff are increasingly vocal about the threat to job security. The sudden economic strain raises questions about long-term sustainability, especially for smaller agencies. Still, amid the automation and acceleration, Cannes Lions echoed a recurring truth that emotion, empathy, and cultural insight matter. They are the vital but often elusive ingredients of great storytelling. And here human advantage is going to be enduring. The most impactful campaigns of the year proved that creativity powered by lived experience cannot be outsourced to a machine. One of the festival's strongest undercurrents was a renewed commitment to purpose. The Grand Prix and Gold Lion winners made a resounding case that advertising is more than mere awareness and persuasion. it is activism, awareness, and accountability. Building IP is the first stone in the foundation of building culture. BBDO India's 'Share The Load' campaign for Ariel , which took home a Silver Lion in the Sustainable Development Goals category, reignited conversations around domestic gender roles. AXA won the Titanium Grand Prix at the 2025 Cannes Lions for its "Three Words" campaign, which integrated domestic violence support into its French home insurance policies. This involved adding the clause "and domestic violence" to its policy, enabling victims to access emergency relocation and support services, Dove's perennial 'Real Beauty' campaign, a familiar face at Cannes, once again earned recognition for championing body positivity and mental wellness. However, not all brands are comfortable swimming in these waters. In the United States, where culture wars dominate headlines, some brands are retreating from overt stances. Brand Risk is a big horizontal concern. There is a point and counterpoint about how woke had woke become . Bud Light and Carl's Jr., once vocal about diversity and equity, have now scaled back such efforts amid organized backlash. Advertiser boycotts on X (formerly Twitter) and fears of violating viewpoint neutrality laws have further added to creative hesitancy. This tension between purpose and pragmatism was palpable throughout Cannes. The question is no longer should brands take a stand, but rather how and when to do so authentically. There is deeper implication and more visceral reaction on both sides of the conservative-liberal divide. This will not abate anytime soon. Brands will stick to the knitting and focus on tightly defined creative plots. Another evolution visible at Cannes was the formal embrace of the creator economy as a legitimate, professionalized pillar of advertising. With billions of smart phones enabling billions of content creators, curators and consumers, much has changed. So much so that the 'Social & Influencer Lions' were officially renamed the 'Social & Creator Lions,' reflecting a broader shift in mindset. No longer seen as side-channel influencers or novelty spokespeople, creators are now treated as strategic collaborators in campaign planning and storytelling. Panels and masterclasses discussed pricing models, revenue equity, and IP ownership for creators. Meanwhile, brands shared how they were moving from influencer marketing to co-creation—developing entire narratives with creators who bring both reach and authenticity. It's not about casting a creator to say a few lines but about building campaigns around their lived experiences, fan base, and native tone. In this new model, creators aren't just amplifiers. They are the media. This approach has proved particularly potent in sports marketing, another dominant theme at Cannes. With linear TV viewership dwindling and cord-cutting on the rise, advertisers are chasing attention wherever it lives. News and sports have an enduring relationship with TV. I spoke at the CNN conclave organised in association with Stagwell and the world media group. Increasingly, it's in sports, especially live events like Formula 1 and women's leagues that brands see value. Uber's F1 activation 'La Mer' brought immersive experience-based branding to the grid, while Cannes itself hosted activations like the Women's Sports Yacht Club to celebrate the 139% rise in women's sports sponsorship in 2024 alone. The trend suggests that the future of mass engagement lies not in platforms but in passion. Then there was the ongoing theme of Platforms, their power, and the templates of prescriptive creativity. As much as Cannes celebrates creativity, it is also a reflection of power and few wield more of it than the digital behemoths. Tech giants like Google, Amazon, Meta, and Spotify were everywhere this year, not just as partners and sponsors, but as industry architects. Their growing dominance has reshaped everything from media buying to content delivery, and even agency structures. Interestingly, traditional non-media brands like United Airlines are also entering the ad game, launching their own networks and monetizing customer attention. United Airlines made a significant presence at the 2024 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity with the launch of their new media network, Kinective Media and that The line between advertiser and publisher has blurred entirely, and Cannes is where these fused pathways become the new mainstream . But with power comes oversight. European regulators are stepping up. Under the Digital Services Act (DSA), platforms must now disclose how ads are targeted and explicitly prohibit profiling of minors or sensitive groups. There's growing momentum around 'explainable AI' tools like SODA i.e. Systemic Observation of Digital Advertising, that aim to audit and visualize how AI influences user exposure to ads. While compliance adds complexity, it also provides a competitive edge for agencies who build trust through transparency. Sustainability took a front-row seat in 2025, not just in message but curiously in media execution. At IAB Europe's sessions, heated discussions emerged around the environmental cost of AI infrastructure and digital advertising. The industry is now measuring carbon footprints not just in supply chains or creative production but in server usage, streaming bandwidth, and digital asset storage. The Global Media Sustainability Framework, which gained traction throughout the year, pushes for carbon tracking at every stage of campaign delivery. Low-carbon ad formats, energy-efficient production tools, and climate-conscious media buying are fast becoming standard client requests. Brands realize that a truly purpose-driven message rings hollow if the medium contradicts the mission. But many may brush it aside as much ado about a small contributor saying 'we didn't start the fire '. Most crucially , there was talk across the buzzing corridors on adapting the agency model. Earlier in the year , mergers like Outbrain and Teads created multi-capability giants with in-house AI tools, targeting systems, and measurement frameworks. But agility and trust remain the currencies of success, and that creates opportunity for independent shops and boutique consultancies. Clients are looking not for one-stop shops, but for nimble partners who can navigate culture, data, and technology fluidly. Talent, therefore, becomes the differentiator. Agencies are investing not just in tech stacks but in re-skilling with training of teams to excel in strategy, ethics, digital design, and storytelling. The most forward-thinking shops are building hybrid teams of humans and AI, leaning into the strengths of each. Have stories agencies become casualties in a move to consolidate. And are those that survive with their name at the front door merely delivery windows on a cloud kitchen ? If Cannes Lions 2025 revealed anything, it's that advertising is not dying—it's transforming. To survive and thrive, the industry must embrace six clear imperatives: 1. Treat AI as a transparent collaborator, not a cost-saving shortcut. 2. Center campaigns around authentic human values and social purpose. 3. Work with creators and passion communities, especially in sports and live events. 4. Comply with emerging regulations, and go beyond them to earn trust. 5. Bake sustainability into every layer of the media process. 6. Invest in people—strategists, ethicists, data interpreters—who can steer brands with insight and integrity. Ultimately, Cannes 2025 wasn't just a showcase of creativity—it was a manifesto for survival. In a fragmented, polarized, and hyper-automated world, the brands that thrive will be those that hold fast to humanity while boldly embracing change. The path ahead isn't easy, but it is full of possibility. And for an industry built on ideas, that's the most promising sign of all.
