Meta Glasses gain FDA-cleared hearing enhancement

Meta is adding hearing enhancement to its smart glasses after the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cleared the feature for people with mild to moderate hearing loss. The feature amplifies sound according to a user's hearing profile and uses machine learning to enhance voices and reduce background noise.

Meta told TechRadar's Jacob Krol that the feature will launch in the US with a free 30-day trial. It will then cost a one-time $149.99 payment or be included with a Meta One subscription. The US launch is planned for later in 2026, with expansion to other countries dependent on regional medical-device regulations.

Ravish Mehra, Meta's Director of Research Science, said the work began more than five years ago and that he has spent nearly 12 years at Meta. He said one in six Americans has mild to moderate hearing loss, but only around 15% seek help.

The glasses use six microphones and offer 360 mode for sound around the wearer and Focus mode for emphasizing someone in front of them. A phone-based hearing test through the Meta AI app takes about 1-2 minutes. Meta says testing showed performance equivalent to professional fitting within an acceptable margin, but it has not confirmed which glasses will support the feature or provided a broader rollout schedule.