Marking a significant expansion of its wearable technology portfolio in the country, Meta has officially announced the India launch of its new Oakley Meta HSTN AI glasses. The cutting-edge smart eyewear will be available for purchase starting December 1, positioning itself as a premium offering for fitness enthusiasts and professionals.
Target Audience and Availability
This launch represents the second generation of Meta's AI-powered smart glasses to hit the Indian market, following the successful introduction of the Ray-Ban Meta glasses earlier this year. Unlike its more fashion-focused predecessor, the Oakley Meta HSTN collection is specifically targeted at athletes and everyday champions, engineered for high performance and endurance.
Pre-orders for the glasses are now live through Sunglass Hut, with a nationwide retail rollout planned across leading optical stores from the first day of December. The Oakley Meta HSTN enters the market with a starting price point of Rs 41,800, reflecting its specialized features and robust build.
Oakley Meta HSTN vs. Ray-Ban Meta: A Detailed Comparison
Price and Design Variety
Potential buyers will notice a clear distinction in the design philosophy and pricing between the two Meta eyewear lines. The Oakley Meta HSTN is available in a single, sport-oriented frame style, with lens options including Tinted (Prizm), Transitions, and clear lenses. In contrast, the Ray-Ban Meta glasses cater to casual, everyday wear with three distinct frame styles and similar lens choices, starting at the more accessible price of Rs 29,900.
Battery Life and Video Capabilities
Where the Oakley model truly diverges is in its performance-centric specifications. It packs a substantially larger battery, designed to last through long training sessions and sporting events. Meta claims the Oakley HSTN can deliver up to 8 hours of battery life on a single charge, with its carrying case providing an impressive additional 48 hours of power.
The Ray-Ban Meta glasses, by comparison, offer up to 4 hours of usage, supported by a case that provides 32 extra hours. For content creators and athletes, the Oakley's video recording capability is a major upgrade, capable of capturing action in up to 3K resolution at 30 fps. The Ray-Ban model records video at a standard 1080p+ resolution at 30 fps.
Shared Core Features and India-Specific AI Upgrades
Despite their differences, both smart glasses share a common technological foundation. Each is equipped with an ultra-wide 12 MP camera with a 100-degree field of view and discreet open-ear speakers backed by a 5-mic array for crystal-clear calls and music streaming from services like Spotify and Apple Music. Control is unified through voice commands (Hey Meta), a dedicated capture button, and a touchpad. Both models also support prescription lenses within a -6.00 to +4.00 range and do not feature a heads-up display.
The launch of the Oakley HSTN also brings significant software enhancements to the Meta AI ecosystem in India, with a strong focus on localisation.
Talk to Meta in Hindi: In a major step for user accessibility, Meta has integrated Sarvam's language tools to enable full Hindi language interaction with the AI assistant, breaking down language barriers for millions of users.
Celebrity Voice with Deepika Padukone: Meta AI's new Celebrity Voice feature allows users to personalise their assistant's voice. Bollywood superstar Deepika Padukone headlines this initiative for the Indian audience, joining a global roster of celebrity voices.
Scan and Pay via UPI (Coming Soon): In a move that could revolutionise digital payments, Meta confirmed that its AI glasses will soon support secure UPI QR-code payments. Users will simply need to look at a QR code and command, Hey Meta, scan and pay. The transaction will be processed via UPI Lite through the user's WhatsApp-linked bank account.
The introduction of the Oakley Meta HSTN AI glasses underscores Meta's deepening commitment to the Indian market, offering a high-fidelity, durable alternative to its existing smart eyewear and pushing the boundaries of what's possible with AI-integrated accessories.
