Meta is stepping hard into the wearable game with its first pair of smart glasses that feature a built-in display, arriving next month under the codename “Hypernova.” The real surprise? The company has slashed the entry price to $800 – far lower than the previously expected $1,000+ tag. By cutting its own margins, Meta is betting on adoption over profit in the short term, hoping to carve out space in the market before rivals bring out their own display-equipped wearables.
This pricing shift is not just about making the device cheaper. 
It reflects a clear strategy: positioning the glasses as a mainstream tech purchase rather than a luxury gadget. At $1,000, the glasses risked sitting in the same category as niche AR toys; at $800, they become a realistic competitor to premium smartwatches, tablets, and even some entry-level laptops. For consumers curious about AR but unwilling to drop thousands, the new glasses represent a tempting bridge.
Meta’s approach echoes tactics Apple and Samsung have used before – sacrificing margins to win over early adopters and seed a new product category. The company has experience here too, with its earlier Ray-Ban and Oakley partnerships that brought smart frames with AI and cameras, though without a display. The new Hypernova glasses take the leap further, with a small screen that overlays notifications, Maps, and lightweight apps right in your line of sight. Reports also point to a neural wristband accessory, a futuristic control method Meta has been refining for years.
At $800, the Hypernova glasses could mark a middle step between current smart eyewear and full-blown AR headsets like Apple’s Vision Pro. Unlike bulky headsets, these glasses promise something closer to everyday usability. Meta clearly wants more than a flashy prototype; it wants numbers, reach, and recognition, pushing smart glasses from experimental gadget to mainstream accessory.
With the Oakley Meta HSTN models already retailing for $399–$499, and the Ray-Ban line continuing to evolve, Meta’s ecosystem of wearables is expanding. The reduced price of the new Hypernova glasses signals an aggressive push to get them into more hands – and onto more faces – before the AR wearable race truly kicks off.