Meta caps smart glasses voice enhancement at 3 free hours

Meta has begun limiting a key feature on its smart glasses to three hours of free use per month, requiring a $20 monthly subscription for extended access. The change, detailed in a recent update to the company's official help page, applies to the "Conversation Focus" feature, which amplifies a speaker's voice to improve clarity in noisy environments.

The feature, which launched in December 2025, allows users to reduce background noise and make a conversation partner's voice sound more vibrant. It is activated by asking the built-in Meta AI assistant. Under the new policy, free usage is capped at three hours per calendar month. Users who exceed that limit must subscribe to the Meta One Premium plan, priced at $19.99 or $20 per month, to unlock an allowance of 15 hours. Unused hours do not carry over to the next billing cycle.

A company spokesperson stated that three hours is sufficient for the average user and characterized the subscription as an add-on for power users who also want premium device support. However, the move has drawn criticism because the Conversation Focus feature operates entirely on the device itself. It uses the glasses' onboard microphones, speakers, and...