Meta adds monthly paywall and rate limits to Ray-Ban Meta glasses Conversation Focus

Meta is introducing a subscription for expanded access to advanced smart-glasses features. According to Wired, "[U]sers will need the Meta One Premium Plan to unlock expanded access to some features for their smart glasses, whether it's the Ray-Ban, Oakley, or Meta-branded version." They'll still be usable with a subscription, but "certain features will be limited," the report says. From the report: Specifically, a feature called Conversation Focus, which boosts the audio of the person you're speaking with so you can hear them better in loud environments. You'll get three hours per month without a subscription, but if you want to use it more often, then you'll need to pay up. Though even then, you're still capped at 15 hours. Subscribing also nets you "Premium Device Support," where you'll get faster access to what Meta says are "human experts" trained on the smart glasses' features, should any problems arise. Guess humans are better at some things after all. A Meta spokesperson tells WIRED that this is "not an AI rate limit." Rate limits are common on other AI platforms -- users get free access to a feature until they hit a certain cap, then they'll need to subscribe to use it more until the limit resets at the end of the month. However, the Conversation Focus feature runs on-device, meaning it doesn't need to head to Meta's servers for AI processing. There's no real-time way to monitor how many hours you've used Conversation Focus, but you'll receive a notification when you get near the limit. "The subscription supports that ongoing work and gives power users expanded access along with premium device support," the spokesperson says. "We're going to start testing new optional subscription plans that offer more premium features and advanced capabilities for those who want to unlock more from our apps and AI glasses." Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Meta will charge glasses users $20/month for a new Meta One Premium subscription, and one of the first features to get locked down is “Conversation Focus.”

Meta glasses wearers hit with paywall to use built-in feature  BBCMeta Is Charging a Subscription for Smart Glasses Features. Welcome to the New Era of Consumer Tech  WIRED‘How can we now trust Meta won’t paywall any AI glasses feature?’ — a useful Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses feature is getting a usage cap unless you pay, and I’m beyond frustrated  TechRadarMeta adds $20 subscription to one of the Ray-Ban Meta's best features  Android PoliceMeta is adding ridiculous ‘rate limits’ and a soft paywall to its smart glasses  The Verge

Meta has started charging a monthly fee for unlimited access to all of the features on its smart glasses.

Conversation Focus limited to three hours unless you pay.

Meta’s AI smart glasses users with access to Meta One Premium will now need to pay to get higher conversation focus limit rates.