This is terrible' Meta limits access to major AI smart glasses feature behind paywall

Meta has introduced a subscription paywall for a feature in its AI smart glasses, limiting access to Conversation Focus, which uses the glasses’ microphones to make voices easier to hear in noisy settings. The company is asking for $19.99 per month (about £15) to use the feature beyond a capped allowance. The smart glasses start at £224, and the additional charge amounts to £180 per year. Without paying, users receive only three hours of Conversation Focus per month, which the article notes could be used up quickly for frequent callers. Subscribers are granted 15 hours, though the access is still capped beyond that. The change follows Meta’s broader positioning of the glasses as hands-free tools for photos and video, music, calls, and on-the-go information.