Solos’ Latest Smart Glasses Feature a Camera Privacy Shield

Smart glasses company Solos has primarily concentrated on audio-focused smart glasses. Recently, it unveiled two new models, including one equipped with a camera, which can be concealed with an additional accessory for privacy protection.

The latest offerings from Solos include the audio-only AirGo A6 and the upgraded camera-ready Solos AirGo V2. Initially introduced last year, the V2 aims to compete directly with Meta’s offerings. Priced at $299, these glasses provide features similar to Meta’s $299 Smart Glasses, such as photo and video capture, music playback, and interaction with an AI assistant capable of visual recognition. They can also accommodate prescription lenses and boast a battery life of 10 to 12 hours.

Additionally, the AirGo V2 can be paired with a new Privacy Kit, which consists of clip-on accessories enabling users to manage their camera settings. The privacy clip obstructs the cameras, preventing them from capturing images, so wearers can continue using the glasses in audio-only mode. This kit also includes a polarized lens, with the complete set of modular options priced at $79.

Offering a privacy kit as a clip-on accessory might not effectively quell concerns about discreet cameras being worn. The need to purchase an additional item and then attach or detach it each time could deter users from actively managing their privacy. Moreover, there remains the risk of individuals removing the clip-on blockers during an event where camera use is restricted.

Courtesy of Solos Smartglasses

Launched in 2024, Solos’ first camera-equipped glasses, the Solos AirGo Vision, were featured in WIRED’s “Don’t Bother” section of the Best Smart Glasses gallery. The review pointed out their decent design, which was undermined by subpar media capture quality, cumbersome touch controls, and an energy-draining app seeking excessive permissions. Overall, these glasses have not met the benchmark set by Meta’s popular smart glasses.

While Meta has established itself as the leading player in the smart glasses sector, other significant companies are also stepping in. Google and Samsung have teamed up to enhance Google’s Android XR platform, with new glasses set to debut later this year from eyewear brands like Warby Parker and Gentle Monster. Reports indicate that Apple is developing its own smart glasses as well.

Smaller firms are shifting their focus to counter Meta’s influence, exemplified by Even Realities and its camera-free eyewear. Solos’ renewed emphasis on privacy follows intense backlash against Meta’s glasses, which have been labeled as “creepy pervert glasses.” Concerns grew when coding for facial recognition was discovered on them, prompting Meta to retract it after a public uproar following a WIRED report. Recently, Meta announced that it would start charging for certain features on its smart glasses that were previously complimentary.

Meta has acknowledged the potential market for audio-only smart glasses; CTO Andrew Bosworth mentioned in a private Q&A with media that he believes there is “market demand for that product for sure.” However, Meta has yet to pivot away from its camera-centric designs. It is possible they may explore audio-only glasses in the future. Meanwhile, companies like Solos are keen to capture that segment of the market.