Meta's AI glasses now help you hear people better
What's the story
Meta has announced an update for its AI glasses, aimed at improving user experience in noisy environments. The new feature, dubbed Conversation Focus, will first be available on Ray-Ban Meta and Oakley Meta HSTN smartglasses in the US and Canada. The update was first teased at Meta's Connect conference earlier this year.
Functionality
How does the Conversation Focus feature work?
The Conversation Focus feature uses the directional microphones of Meta's AI glasses to amplify the voice of a person you're talking to. Users can adjust this amplification level by swiping on the right temple of their glasses or through device settings. This way, they can customize it according to their current environment, be it a busy restaurant or bar, club, commuter train etc.
Music feature
Meta's AI glasses also integrate with Spotify
Along with the Conversation Focus feature, Meta is also adding a new integration with Spotify into its AI glasses. This will let users ask Meta to play songs based on what they are looking at. For example, if you are looking at an album cover, the glasses could play a song by that artist or you could say, "Hey Meta, start a playlist that matches this environment" when looking at your Christmas tree with gifts.
Rollout strategy
Availability and future plans for the update
The software update (v21) will first be available to those enrolled in Meta's Early Access Program. After that, it will be rolled out more broadly. While the conversation-focus facility is limited to the US and Canada, the Spotify integration is available in English across several other countries including Austria, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, India, Italy, Mexico, Norway, Spain, Sweden, UAE, and UK.