Ifixit Calls Meta's Ray-ban Display Glasses 'unrepairable' But Praises The Tech

The how-to website iFixit posted a teardown of Meta's caller Ray-Ban Display augmented reality glasses and came distant impressed by nan tech but wary of repairability. As a matter of fact, 1 of nan techs said successful nan accompanying video that it's "very clear that nan first iterations of these smartglasses are going to beryllium unrepairable."

This repairability rumor is comparatively unsurprising, fixed this is simply a newish technology. The website says location are respective factors that lend to nan problem, noting that users would person to divided nan arms and framework successful half to do thing arsenic elemental arsenic replacing a artillery and Meta doesn't supply immoderate measurement to do that. “Any repairs present are going to request specialized skills and specialized tools,” nan tech concluded. This besides applies to nan speakers, arsenic they are soldered in.

The aforesaid goes erstwhile looking to switch nan lenses, arsenic they are specially-made and would beryllium difficult to source. However, iFixit did travel distant impressed pinch nan glassmaking skills utilized to manufacture these lenses.

The lenses usage a reflective geometric waveguide strategy that bounce ray to nan wearer's eyes astatine circumstantial angles utilizing partially reflective mirrors. This not only creates an augmented reality acquisition but helps forestall different group from getting a glimpse of nan surface erstwhile staring astatine you.

There's a mini-projector successful nan correct arm, which would besides beryllium difficult to repair. This liquid crystal connected silicon (LCoS) instrumentality creates a 600x600-pixel grid image that should beryllium free from artifacts and won't flash nan tell-tale "eye glow" astatine onlookers. Again, this is owed to nan lenses, arsenic they disagree from older diffractive systems.

All of this precocious tech adds up and iFixit thinks Meta whitethorn beryllium trading these glasses astatine a loss, arsenic those lenses are peculiarly costly to manufacture. Despite this, nan website urges Meta to prioritize "replaceable batteries, modular arms and swappable lenses" successful nan future.

The Meta Ray-Ban Display AR glasses are already connected digital shop shelves and costs $800. We thoroughly enjoyed our clip pinch them during a hands-on, calling them "discrete and intuitive."