EU battery law blocks Meta’s smart glasses rollout

Tech giant Meta is delaying the European launch of its smart glasses due to EU regulations, AI wearable devices, and supply constraints. The product, developed with EssilorLuxottica, is currently only available in the United States.

Meta has struggled to secure enough supply for the EU market. The company faces challenges because European regulations restrict product introduction within the market. The European Union requires all devices to have detachable batteries by 2027, which creates design difficulties for compact smart glasses.

The new regulations will either shorten battery duration or decrease the available space for additional functionalities. The smart glasses depend on artificial intelligence for their operation, but EU regulations will limit their available features.

Meta needs to overcome another obstacle because the company does not want to release the product until all features are operational. The company is currently in talks with EU officials to seek exemptions for AI-powered wearables and smart glasses technology.

However, the issue exists beyond Meta because Apple has postponed several software updates in Europe because of regulatory issues. Meta maintains its commitment to developing wearable devices which serve as a fundamental component of its entire AI development plan.

The company has established collaboration agreements with both Ray-Ban and Oakley while conducting research on luxury partnerships with Prada. The two companies, Meta and EssilorLuxottica, will begin their production expansion plans in 2026 to satisfy increasing market requirements despite the current delays.