HTC launches Vive Eagle AI glasses in US, $499 preorder

HTC has officially launched its Vive Eagle AI smart glasses in the United States, with preorders now open for a September 1 release. The glasses, priced at $499, represent the Taiwanese company's entry into a competitive market currently led by Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses.

The wearable, which has been available in Taiwan and other markets for nearly a year, is now listed on Amazon for preorder. It will be offered in six configurations, with buyers able to choose between round or square frames, clear or tinted lenses, and several color options including Glossy Coffee and Apricot. The glasses are designed for hands-free photography and AI assistance, featuring a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera capable of capturing photos and video.

A key differentiator highlighted by HTC is its approach to artificial intelligence. Unlike some competitors, the Vive Eagle does not force users into a single AI ecosystem. Instead, it offers access to both Google's Gemini and OpenAI's ChatGPT, in addition to HTC's own Vive AI assistant. The company also emphasizes user data privacy, stating that captured data is not used to train AI models, a point of criticism leveled at some rival products. The AI...