Meta's potential answer to its smart glasses problem? Getting rid of the camera

Meta currently dominates the budding smart glasses market, but that position has made it a lightning rod for public backlash against what some have dubbed "creep glasses." Now, it looks like the company may respond by launching a pair of glasses without built-in cameras. That's according to a new report from The Information , which claims the new glasses could debut next week at Meta's Connect developer conference, which takes place on September 23 and 24.

According to the report, the new glasses are called Luna, and Meta is aiming to start shipping them as soon as October. Though they'll lack cameras, they'll still have six microphones on board, along with a pair of speakers for the wearer to interact with Meta AI. The Information also reports that Luna will have a slimmer design at the temples, making them stand out less compared to regular glasses.

The backlash to Meta's glasses so far has centered around people using them to record and harass people without their permission. Numerous women have reported being recorded without their knowledge by men wearing the glasses. While Meta's glasses have an LED light that turns on while recording to alert people around the wearer, some users modified them to disable it. Meta has since updated its glasses to disable the recording feature if they are modified in this way. They'll also disable recording if the light is covered or obscured.

The prevalence of smart glasses with built-in cameras has even prompted state and city governments to take action. Both New York and Philadelphia have banned smart glasses in courtrooms. Even pop stars are speaking out on them. In July, Lorde told an audience at the Madrid Mad Cool festival, "Can I just say, for the record, f— the glasses. Don't get the glasses. Not sexy."

If Meta launches a new pair of smart glasses without cameras, it's unclear if they'll temper the backlash. Though removing the cameras takes away the biggest issue people have with them, wearers may still be able to record audio of people around them without their knowledge. People might also not know the difference between glasses with and without cameras, so wearers may still be seen as creeps. However, we'll know more if Meta debuts the Luna frames at its Connect conference next week.