Try On Meta Lab’s New Smart Glasses at Pop-Up Events

Key Highlights

• Launch: Meta is introducing temporary “Meta Lab” retail locations to showcase its new Ray-Ban smart glasses.
• Locations: The first Meta Labs will open in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and New York from mid-October to November.
• Experience: Customers must demo the smart glasses in-person before purchase; these glasses retail for $799.
• Availability: Meta plans to expand access through existing Meta Store locations and innovative vending machine sales.

Following the announcement of its first smart glasses with a built-in display, Meta is opening several temporary retail locations where you’ll be able to demo the Meta Ray-Ban Display, their Meta Neural Band controller and the rest of the company’s Reality Labs products. These new “Meta Lab” locations will offer another way to see the company’s new 9 smart glasses, which currently aren’t available for purchase without an in-person demo and fitting.

Where Can You Find Meta Lab Locations?

For the rollout of the Meta Ray-Ban Display, Meta Lab locations will be available to visit in Las Vegas starting on October 16, Los Angeles starting on October 24, and New York starting on November 13. Meta also says interested Bay Area customers will be able to demo and purchase the new smart glasses at the company’s existing Meta Store location in Burlingame, which has been rebranded as a “Meta Lab.”

The Meta Lab locations provide an opportunity for customers to experience the smart glasses firsthand. This initiative aims to enhance customer engagement and facilitate informed purchasing decisions.

What Makes the Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses Unique?

While the appeal of having the face-mounted camera and speakers of the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses is easy to understand, Meta clearly believes adding a display into the mix changes that calculus. The company says interest in the new glasses is part of the reason it’s opening these new retail locations. “Demand for in-person demos of Meta Ray-Ban Display and the Meta Neural Band is strong, with appointments in many major cities already booked out through mid-October,” according to Meta. Interestingly, Meta also plans to test selling its Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses from vending machines, not unlike Snap did with its Spectacles.

This highlights the innovative approach Meta is taking to reach customers directly in their communities.

How Can You Book a Demo?

These new Meta Labs join Ray-Ban, Verizon, Best Buy, and LensCrafters stores as the only official places where you can try Meta’s new wearable. It’s hard to say if demand for demos will translate into actual sales, but clearly the positive buzz the company’s Connect showing was able to drum up has caught some people’s interest. You can book a demo at a Meta Lab through the company’s website.

Booking a demo is a straightforward process, allowing potential customers to experience the product in an engaging setting.