Meta pauses global launch of Ray-Ban Display glasses amid massive demand

Meta Platforms has announced a pause in the international rollout of its Ray-Ban Display smart glasses, citing “unprecedented demand and limited inventory” following the product’s launch in the United States. The company’s planned early-2026 expansion into markets including the UK, France, Italy and Canada will be delayed indefinitely as Meta prioritises fulfilling orders at home.

The Ray-Ban Display glasses, introduced in fall 2025 in partnership with eyewear maker EssilorLuxottica, represent Meta’s most advanced wearable to date, combining a micro-display, AI assistant integration and camera capabilities in a design resembling conventional sunglasses. Initial availability had been heavily backlogged, with waitlists stretching well into 2026 in the U.S. — a situation Meta said made an international rollout untenable at this stage.

In a blog post shared at CES 2026, Meta confirmed that it would continue to focus on meeting U.S. customer demand while reassessing its approach to overseas availability. The company did not set new target dates for the delayed markets, leaving buyers in Europe and Canada waiting for further updates.

Meta showcased the Ray-Ban Display glasses at CES, revealing additional software features such as a teleprompter mode and new gesture-based input via the Meta Neural Band wrist controller. The firm also announced enhancements to pedestrian navigation support in several U.S. cities, although these improvements offer no immediate relief for international customers still awaiting product access.

The pause underscores broader supply-chain and demand challenges faced by wearable technology makers, even as consumer interest in smartglasses grows. Analysts had noted that the combination of high demand and limited production capacity — particularly for complex AR-enabled devices — can make global launches difficult to execute smoothly.

Meta’s international postponement comes amid continuing debates about smart-glasses technology, including privacy concerns raised by campaigns highlighting risks of covert recording. While Meta incorporates visible indicators for camera activation, critics argue that real-world enforcement and user behaviour remain contentious issues around widespread adoption of such devices.