High demand forces company to focus on domestic orders as global rollout is delayed
Meta announced on Tuesday that it is pausing the international expansion of its Ray-Ban Display augmented reality glasses, citing strong demand in the United States and limited inventory.
The company had originally planned to release the AR smart glasses in the UK, France, Italy, and Canada earlier this year, following early success with previous versions. However, Meta said it will prioritize fulfilling U.S. orders while it reassesses its international strategy.
“Since launching last fall, we’ve seen an overwhelming amount of interest, and as a result, product waitlists now extend well into 2026,” Meta said in a blog post, describing the glasses as a “first-of-its-kind product.”
Developed in partnership with EssilorLuxottica’s Ray-Ban, the glasses allow wearers to take photos, stream content, and interact with an AI assistant. The product has quickly gained traction, with 15,000 units sold in its first quarter and 6% market share in the AR eyewear category, according to Francisco Jeronimo, VP of Data and Analytics at IDC EMEA.
Meta also announced new features at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, including a teleprompter function that lets users read notes via the glasses and scroll content using the companion Meta Neural Band wrist device.
Additionally, the company is expanding pedestrian navigation features to four more U.S. cities, Denver, Las Vegas, Portland, and Salt Lake City bringing total coverage to 32 cities nationwide.
While the pause delays international availability, Meta emphasized that the decision ensures U.S. customers receive their orders promptly and reflects the company’s commitment to scaling production for its rapidly growing smart glasses business.
