Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3 is out: should you buy Gen 2 in India or wait?

You have been eyeing Ray-Ban Meta glasses, then the news lands: on 23 September 2026 Meta announced a third generation and a new camera-free model. Does that make the one you can buy today a bad purchase? Here is what changed, and what it means if you are in India.

What is new in Gen 3?

Less than a headline suggests. The battery goes from about 8 hours to up to 9, the hardware is slimmer, and the temple tips can be adjusted by a professional. A six-microphone array is meant to cut over 90 percent of background noise, and there is a customisable button for Meta AI. There are also more styles, 27 combinations across Aviator, Wayfarer and Zena frames, and Dolby Atmos video with spatial sound is promised later this year.

What did not change?

The camera. Gen 3 keeps the same 12MP photos and 3K video as the second generation, so what you capture should look much the same. If the camera is the reason you want smart glasses, Gen 3 gives you little extra on that front.

What is the camera-free model?

Ray-Ban Meta Audio drops the camera entirely. It weighs 43 grams, lasts up to 12 hours a charge and 48 hours with the case, and comes in Clubmaster and Burbank styles. It is for people who want music, calls and an assistant without a camera on their face.

Can you buy Gen 3 in India?

Meta's announcement does not mention India. Its availability list names Singapore, South Korea, Mexico and the United Arab Emirates as launching that day, Brazil as coming soon, and a longer set of countries for later this year, and India is not among them. That is not proof it will not come, only that nothing has been announced, so do not plan around a date that does not exist.

What is on sale in India now?

The Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarer Gen 2 is the model sold here. It launched in January 2026 with a 12MP camera, 3K video, up to 8 hours of battery, hands-free calls and music, and live translation in six languages, and Indian coverage lists clear, polarised and Transitions lens versions. Meta AI works only in select countries and languages and needs a Meta account, so check which of its features you will actually get.

Should you buy Gen 2 or wait?

• Buy now if you want the camera, since Gen 3 does not improve it, and no India date has been announced.

• Wait only if one extra hour of battery, a slimmer fit or more styles matters to you, and you are comfortable waiting without a confirmed India date.

• Check the live price and stock on the deal page, since Gen 2 prices can change when a new generation arrives.