CES 2025: Halliday Glasses with invisible display you’ve been waiting for

What if smart glasses looked like regular glasses? Halliday Glasses keep it simple while offering cool features.

Woman wearing Halliday Glasses

Many companies promise flashy, bulky, and pricey smart glasses. But what if smart glasses just looked like normal, everyday glasses? That’s the idea behind Meta’s Orion, though it’s not something we’ll see hitting store shelves. On the other hand, Halliday Glasses are a real product that embrace a simple, everyday look while packing useful features. Still, smart glasses haven’t quite delivered on the mind-blowing AR promises we’ve heard for years. Could this wearable tech startup’s eyewear break the mold?

Unlike most smart glasses out there, Halliday’s flagship glasses skip the visual displays common in AR devices. They don’t rely on birdbath optics or waveguide lenses like some of the higher-end concepts, such as the Snap Spectacles 5. Instead, they use something called a DigiWindow. But what really sets these glasses apart is their proactive AI capabilities, which seem to be their main draw. So, what do all these terms mean, and what exactly do the Halliday Glasses bring to the table? Let’s find out.

DigiWindow technology

Halliday smart glasses bring something fresh with their DigiWindow tech. It projects info right into your view, creating a virtual 3.5-inch screen in the top-right corner. These eyewear use “the world’s smallest optical module,” tucking the display neatly into the frame without needing special lenses, according to the company.

You can pop in your prescription lenses, so they feel like regular glasses. Halliday also says the tiny module gives you a clear vision outdoors while keeping your content private. Plus, the design keeps your lenses unobstructed and super easy to replace at any optician, hassle-free, and without extra costs. The simplicity of Halliday Glasses is one of their most appealing features.

Proactive AI

Right now, AI tends to react more than anticipate—it waits for you to ask a question before it kicks in. But Halliday’s smart glasses aim to flip that with proactive AI. Basically, these glasses can figure out what you need without you even asking. They can analyze conversations in real time, fact-check what someone’s saying, and give you insights or answers on the spot.

These glasses also come with some handy features. Halliday Glasses can capture audio memos, display notifications with quick replies, and even act as a teleprompter or cheat sheet. They offer navigation prompts, show song lyrics, transcribe conversations, and translate up to 40 languages on the spot.

To work, the glasses need to connect to your smartphone via Bluetooth. Halliday hasn’t said what AI model they’re using or if there will be extra costs, though.

Halliday vs. Ray-Ban Meta

I’d mostly use smart glasses for keeping them connected to my phone, taking some calls, maybe snapping a few photos or videos, and listening to a podcast. Nothing too crazy. What caught my attention with Halliday Glasses is their impressive battery life. They claim up to 12 hours of use on a single charge, plus 100 hours of standby, and they fully recharge in just an hour.

I’m a fan of the Ray-Ban Meta, but their battery life could be better. A friend of mine even bought 2 pairs just to deal with it. Whether Meta can match Halliday’s battery claims in their next-gen glasses is something I’m curious to see. But I’d definitely love to put Halliday Glasses’ battery life to the test when they’re available.

One thing to consider with Halliday is there’s no outward-facing camera, which explains the presence of the proactive AI assistant. Ray-Ban Meta, however, has a 12-MP camera that captures nice colors and details. I’d say it depends on what you’ll be using them for most of the time. If you prioritize things like directions or quick notes, then the lack of a camera might not be an issue.

Price and availability

The Halliday Glasses are available for pre-order on their website for $9.90. Those who make a deposit reservation will get a limited launch day deal, with up to $120 off the frames and a free pair of prescription lenses.

The Halliday Glasses are expected to ship before March 2025, though the final price is still unknown. Halliday anticipates it will be between $399 and $499.