Camera-free smart glasses just hit a $1 billion valuation. Even Realities is betting that the winning pair of AI glasses is the one you forget you are wearing.

In this episode of Metavertising, host Ely Santos sits down with Raag Harshavat, developer ecosystem lead at Even Realities and previously at Snap Inc. and Meta, to unpack how the Even G2 became one of the most-worn devices in the smart glasses category without a single camera on board.

Raag breaks down the design decisions behind a 36 gram pair of glasses that runs for two days on one charge, why Even Realities builds its own prescription lenses in its own factory, and how a monochrome green micro LED waveguide display turns out to be a feature rather than a compromise. He also shares what happened when he ran live translation for twelve straight hours in China, and why "quiet tech" and ambient computing describe something very different from what most of the industry is shipping right now.

For developers and creative technologists, this is a practical map of the Even Hub ecosystem: 400+ apps and climbing, a JavaScript-based SDK, a desktop simulator, and a Claude skill that makes vibe coding your own glasses app a realistic weekend project.

In this episode:

👓 What the Even G2 and R1 ring actually do, explained from scratch🔇 Quiet tech and ambient computing: the case for glasses that disappear🌏 12 hours of live translation in China, and why session-based devices cannot do it🔒 No camera: constraint or deliberate choice, and what it solves for bystander privacy🟢 Why the display is monochrome green, and how that buys battery life and outdoor readability🛠️ Shipping your first G2 app: SDK, simulator, docs, Discord, and vibe coding💼 Enterprise use cases, monetization, and why now is an interesting moment to build

Timestamps

00:00 Intro: who is Raag Harshavat01:03 From Snap and Meta to Even Realities03:28 Why Even Realities, and what unicorn status signals05:33 What the Even G2 and R1 ring actually do09:08 Quiet tech and ambient computing explained13:31 Running live translation for 12 hours in China17:15 No camera: constraint or choice20:12 Why the display is monochrome green21:45 400+ apps on Even Hub and what people are building29:02 How to ship your first G2 app33:50 What is next for Even Realities and its developers36:04 Where to find Raag

Connect with Raag Harshavat: LinkedIn, Instagram
Build for the Even G2: hub.evenrealities.com
Connect with host Ely Santos: LinkedIn

Building for glasses? DM Ely on LinkedIn to join the Vibe Glass community, a group focused entirely on smart glasses development.

If this episode was useful, follow the show, leave a rating, and share it with someone who still thinks smart glasses are years away.

#SmartGlasses #AIGlasses #EvenRealities #EvenG2 #AmbientComputing #XR #AR #WearableTech #SpatialComputing #DeveloperEcosystem #Metavertising

Is China quietly shaping the future of smart glasses & AI glasses?

In this episode of Metavertising, Ely Santos sits down with Sylvan Shen, XR Technical Producer at Emmy-winning immersive studio No Ghost, China Reporter at ImmersiveWire, and builder of demos for Meta Quest, Snap Spectacles, Meta Ray-Ban glasses, and other smart glasses platforms.

Together, they unpack one of the most important but under-discussed areas of the XR industry: China’s smart glasses ecosystem.

While most conversations around XR focus on Meta, Apple, or Snap, China is moving incredibly fast across hardware, AI, manufacturing, and real-world use cases. Sylvan breaks down why Chinese smart glasses companies may offer a glimpse into where wearable computing is heading next.

In this episode, we cover:

• The 4 categories of smart glasses: audio-first glasses, portable display glasses, AI camera glasses, and full AI + AR glasses.
• Why the simplest smart glasses are winning today, even though the dream is still full AR.
• How China’s hardware manufacturing ecosystem gives local companies a major speed advantage.
• Why Shenzhen and Guangdong are sometimes called the “hardware Silicon Valley."
• The privacy concerns around smart glasses — and why they become even more sensitive when AI is involved.
• How Chinese brands are approaching privacy, compliance, GDPR, and international certifications.
• Why companies like XREAL, RayNeo, Rokid, Alibaba, Xiaomi, Huawei, and Even Realities are taking very different strategies.
• Why real-time translation, payments, productivity, gaming, and smart home control are major use cases in China.
• The difference between Western and Chinese consumer behavior when it comes to smart glasses.
• Why developer communities may be the missing piece for Chinese smart glasses to go global.
• How open-source AI models and user choice could influence the future of AI-powered wearables.

If you’re a developer, founder, marketer, investor, or XR enthusiast trying to understand the next wave of wearable computing, this episode is a must-listen.

Guest: Sylvan Shen - XR Technical Producer, China Reporter at ImmersiveWire
Host: Ely Santos - Metavertising Podcast

Follow Sylvan Shen on LinkedIn.
Follow Ely Santos on LinkedIn.

🎧 Enjoying Metavertising? Hit Follow, leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review, and share this episode with someone who thinks the smart glasses race is only happening in Silicon Valley.

#Metavertising #SmartGlasses #AIGlasses #AR #XR #Wearables #SpatialComputing #ChinaTech #MetaRayBan #SnapSpectacles

Are AI glasses finally having their iPhone moment?

In this episode of Metavertising, Ely Santos sits down with Oscar Falmer, Wearables Developer Advocate at Meta, to unpack why Meta AI glasses are gaining real consumer traction after years of AR hype, headset experiments, and false starts.

Oscar has spent nearly a decade in XR, previously working in Developer Relations at Apple and Snap, helping developers build AR experiences for mobile, social platforms, and wearable devices. Now at Meta, he supports developers creating content for Meta AI glasses.

Together, we explore why the winning form factor may not be full AR glasses yet, but lightweight AI glasses that people actually want to wear every day.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why mobile AR and social AR were important stepping stones, but never the final form.

• Why AI glasses are working now: lightweight design, long battery life, camera, audio, and multimodal AI.

• The most valuable use cases today, from hands-free memories to real-time contextual assistance.

• How developers can build for Meta Ray-Ban glasses using camera, microphone, speakers, and phone-based processing.

• Why developers should not ignore the massive non-display smart glasses audience.

• Where the money is today: client work, museums, venues, enterprise, factory workers, and AI-powered tour guides.

• What developers need to know about privacy, LEDs, recording safeguards, and responsible use.

• Oscar’s smart glasses industry tracker, and what it reveals about hardware, optics, controllers, SDKs, and China’s fast-moving ecosystem.

• Why China may offer a glimpse into where smart glasses and wearables are heading next.

If you’re a developer, founder, marketer, museum innovator, or brand strategist trying to understand the next computing platform, this episode is a practical look at what is real, what is coming, and where the opportunity may be.

Guest: Oscar Falmer — Wearables Developer Advocate at Meta
Host: Ely Santos — Metavertising Podcast

• Follow Oscar Falmer on LinkedIn and X/Twitter.
• Follow Ely Santos on LinkedIn.

🎧 Enjoying Metavertising? Hit Follow, leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review, and share this episode with someone who still thinks smart glasses are just a gadget.

#Metavertising #SmartGlasses #MetaAI #RayBanMeta #AR #XR #Wearables #SpatialComputing #AIGlasses #DeveloperTools