Meta smart glasses blocked in Europe as battery rules and AI regulations stall launch

Meta's New Display Glasses Withheld From EU Over Battery Rules, Supply Shortages

Meta Platforms Inc.'s rollout of new display-equipped Ray-Ban smart glasses in the European Union has been hampered by battery and artificial intelligence regulations in addition to supply constraints. The social networking giant wants to launch the product in the EU but has been unable to secure enough supply, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. Other factors in the delayed EU launch include local regulations governing AI features and batteries, said the person, who asked not to be identified because the matter is private. For now, the product is only available in the US. Under EU rules, devices sold in the region will be required to include removable batteries by 2027, complicating matters for device makers looking to cram in as many features and electronics. Building in removable battery doors takes up extra space, potentially reducing the amount of battery life or forcing other compromises. Meta is in discussions with the EU about the battery law and is seeking a carve-out for smart glasses developed both by it and other companies, the person added. The issue came to light this week when Andrew Puzder, the US ambassador to the European Union, said at an event that the glasses won't be available in the region. "Where is the one place in the world that you can't sell these glasses? The European Union. Why? Because the battery isn't removable," he said. A spokesperson for EssilorLuxottica SA, Meta's partner and the owner of the Ray-Ban brand, declined to comment. A Meta representative pointed to a blog post from January, when the company said the Display glasses had extremely limited inventory. At that time, Meta held off on an expansion into the UK, France, Italy and Canada and said it would focus on filling US orders. But Meta also objects to the EU battery rule, saying it will hurt wearable devices, including glasses, watches, earbuds and pins. EU regulations will restrict some of the AI-related features in the glasses as well. The AI capabilities are core to the Ray-Ban Meta Display device, and launching the spectacles in the EU without full functionality is unappealing to Meta executives. It's not the only company that has been affected. Apple has had to withhold some key software features in the EU in recent years to avoid breaking local laws. For instance, the rollout of the Apple Intelligence platform in the region was delayed by several months. Meta has made wearable devices a key pillar of the company's costly push into AI. Earlier this year, executives redirected some resources from its metaverse efforts to AI wearables instead. EssilorLuxottica and Meta have big ambitions for the glasses. The partners have discussed doubling production capacity in 2026 to meet higher expected demand. While the Ray-Ban-branded glasses are the most popular, Meta and EssilorLuxottica have also teamed up on Oakley glasses. And Meta is in discussion with Prada SpA, a longtime licensing partner of EssilorLuxottica, to produce high-end AI glasses using Prada's luxury branding.

Privacy Isn't the Only Thing Plaguing Meta's Smart Glasses

A European rollout is also hitting blockades thanks to the smart glasses' battery and use of AI. Privacy might be a top-of-mind concern for most people when it comes to smart glasses, but it's not the only thing on the radar for regulators. According to a report from Bloomberg, the Meta Ray-Ban Display has hit roadblocks in Europe thanks to new rules on repairability and AI. Chief among those obstacles is the battery inside Meta's display-equipped smart glasses, which does not currently meet the European Union's (EU) requirements for repairability. As it stands, batteries inside Meta's smart glasses are not replaceable or removable, which is a big no-no under relatively new regulations in Europe that dictate all devices sold in the region must have removable batteries by 2027. According to Bloomberg, Meta is actively seeking an exemption for itself and other wearables, though it's unclear whether its petition will stick. For context, removable batteries inside smart glasses aren't common, but they're also not impossible. Recent pairs, including the Inmo Go 3 and a pair made by Alibaba, the Quark AI S1, feature batteries that can be swapped out at will to extend life, though opting for that design could increase bulk, which is probably not high on Meta's to-do list. Another roadblock in Europe is AI, which is also the subject of new EU rules that assess new AI features based on risk. It's unclear which AI features in the smart glasses would be allowed under those regulations, making a rollout difficult. Meta sees AI as a critical piece of its smart glassesâ€"it literally puts AI in the name of its non-display Ray-Bansâ€"and without core components like computer vision, the Meta Ray-Ban Display and Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses might feel kneecapped. Meta, for its say in the delayed rollout, has cited supply as an issue. In January, the company announced that the Meta Ray-Ban Display rollout was being paused to focus on fulfilling orders in the U.S. Here's what it said in a statement at the time: “Meta is pausing Meta Ray-Ban Display’s international expansion to the UK, France, Italy, and Canada due to an overwhelming amount of interest in the US and limited inventory. Meta will continue to focus on fulfilling orders in the US while it re-evaluates international availability.†Based on Bloomberg's reporting, the story of Meta's slow Europe rollout would appear more complex than just "overwhelming demand"â€"and that's not even counting the fact that scrutiny over smart glasses' implications on privacy is also building in Meta's only market, the U.S. Just last week, concerns reached the U.S. Senate, with Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley (both D-Ore.) questioning Meta over its reported plans to include facial recognition in its smart glasses, characterizing the potential move as a threat to personal privacy. If regulators in the U.S. are raising eyebrows, something tells me the EU may also have similar concerns. For now, the Meta Ray-Ban Display will remain a U.S.-only product. Whether it has an audience by the time Meta's done running its smart glasses' reputation into the ground, however, is anyone's guess.