Meta Is Charging a Subscription for Smart Glasses Features (wired.com) 27
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."
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."
Same feature without the subscription (Score:3)
Re: (Score:2)
At about $200 dollars more than most other ear buds, you're just paying upfront for the features. Different payment model, but Apple didn't get to the market cap that it has today without having people pay more than their share.
Brought to by the sane pricing company that sold a $1000 monitor stand. [businessinsider.com]
Re: (Score:2)
I have $80 earbuds that do a "conversation boost" when ANC is enabled, but I'm not sure it's intentional. They don't have any other ANC modes, so it might be an upsell to the models that do.
Classic enshitification (Score:5, Informative)
This seems to be the de facto way companies are operating now, my only hope if enough people just say no thanks (or f*ck off ! more appropriately) that they will back off, but I'm not optimistic. Doctorow's book actually does a really nice job using case studies to outline how the path the enshitification process happens, Facebook / Meta is pretty much the poster child for it.
Anything with software now, be it a dishwasher, a car, a watch, these asshole companies are either using your data for their benefit, or charging you to access features that should simply be included (or in some case are actually already there but turned off unless you fork over $x per month).
Re: (Score:2)
The weird thing about this is that they're doing it for a device class that isn't exactly popular yet. Normally they would start off super consumer friendly, and then only when enough people feel like they can't live without the device/service start fucking them lubefree in the ass with schemes like these.
Re: (Score:2)
This seems like a perfect example of what RMS calls treacherous computing [gnu.org]. There is absolutely no reason for the device to turn off a feature after three hours, except that the manufacturer has programmed it to. You buy a device, but you don't control it. It doesn't do what you want or what's best for you. It does what's best for someone else, even though it's actively harmful to you, the owner of the device.
Treacherous indeed.
Re: Classic enshitification (Score:1)
I don't see the "enshitification" - charging a subscription for advanced features, offering a subset of features for free...
Do the subscriptions pay for previously free features, or are the fees for new features not previously offered? I thought it was the latter.
Re: (Score:2)
However, in this case I have to give Meta credit - they are doing it from the get-go, so anyone buying their product is going in with eyes wide open to the fact that this product will req
Reverse Gargoyle (Score:4, Interesting)
In Neal Stephenson's novel Snow Crash -- which introduced the word Metaverse from which Meta got its name -- the people wearing connected, cameras, sensors and AR-goggles on their heads were the ones who got paid for spying on people left and right.
Want your GF to look hotter? (Score:3)
We have options.
Shallow Hal package $250/month (your GF looks HOT)
Full Creep package $1000/month (Undress everyone)
I never wanted them before this (Score:5, Insightful)
and now I want them even less
Just say no to subscriptions
They could take a play from BMW's playbook (Score:1)
BMW wants to charge you a monthly subscription for seat warmers for a car you already bought once. Maybe Meta can charge you for wearing pants as sort of a "protection racket". Zipper access will cost you an extra $7 per deployment when you need it though. "Nice pants you got there. It would be a SHAME if they were to get wet." -- Utterly ridiculous, decidedly unneeded and definitely unwanted.
Re: (Score:1)
They could charge a subscription so other "Smart Glasses" users will see you wearing pants. If you don't pay then the other users' glasses will automatically AI-remove your pants whenever the glasses see you.
Although I guess some people might consider that a feature rather than a bug.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: They could take a play from BMW's playbook (Score:1)
Uh, you bought the car without paying for heated seats. Then, after purchase, you are offered the chance to pay to use heated seats BMW already built into the car because they thought you might want heated seats AND you might be willing to pay a subscription fee to warm your tushie on cold winter nights.
Once upon a time, DEC sold VAX computers stuffed with CPus and memory, much more than you paid for - the idea was in the future you'd want to upgrade and this feature allowed you to do so without requiring a
Nobody wants this (Score:1)
Not only do you look like a creeper, but now you have a pay a monthly fee to keep your pedo glasses working.
Re: Nobody wants this (Score:1)
No, your "pedo glasses" will work fine without a subscription - you only need a subscription to activate longer access to some conversation focus feature (as if you care what the kids are talking about)...
How Is This Surprising (Score:2)
To whom does this come as a shock? Of course they want a subscription for the internet connected AI powered glasses.
Re: (Score:2)
It is for me. Usually tech companies try to get some significant market presence before ramping up fees and extra costs for the consumer. Last I heard these things were barely selling
Re: How Is This Surprising (Score:1)
Because permanent access to an expensive online resource should be free forever?
You may want it, but it really isn't a sustainable business model.
Re: (Score:2)
Coming soon, discounts. (Score:2)
Consooooming is over (Score:1)
Won't last long. (Score:2)
I'm sure when the dozen or so people using these riot, Meta will change their tune.
With subscription? (Score:1)
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.
I think you mean "They'll still be usable without a subscription"