Meta has begun putting a meter on one of the most intimate functions in its smart glasses. According to WIRED, users of Ray-Ban, Oakley, and Meta-branded AI glasses will get limited access to Conversation Focus, a feature that boosts the voice of the person in front of them in noisy places. Without the Meta One Premium Plan, the feature runs for three hours a month. Paying subscribers get expanded use, though even that is capped at 15 hours. Meta says the feature works on-device and that the subscription supports continued development and premium device support. A company spokesperson also said this is not an AI rate limit.

The distinction may be technically true and socially thin. The glasses sit on the face, the microphones collect the room, and the software decides which voice should come forward. A user at a restaurant, station, bar, classroom, or family table receives hearing as a counted allowance. The old subscription bought storage, entertainment, or cloud software. This one reaches closer to the body. It turns assistance into a monthly plan and makes a crowded conversation depend on a cap, a notification, and a customer-support tier. The device still looks like ordinary eyewear, but one of its promises is now measured in hours beside the ear.