# HTC's Vive Eagle glasses aim to be privacy-first

> HTC is selling smart glasses designed to avoid the privacy backlash that has dogged Meta's devices.
- Title: HTC's Vive Eagle glasses aim to be privacy-first · WIRED
- Summary: HTC is selling smart glasses designed to avoid the privacy backlash that has dogged Meta's devices. HTC launched the four hundred ninety nine dollar Vive…
- Keywords: htc, vive eagle, smart glasses, privacy, meta, ai assistant, wearable technology, HTC's, Vive, Eagle, glasses, aim
- Source: WIRED — https://wired.com/story/htc-wants-its-vive-eagle-smart-glasses-to-be-the-anti-meta
- Author: Boone Ashworth
- Published: 2026-10-17T10:30:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: htc, vive eagle, smart glasses, privacy, meta, ai assistant, wearable technology
## HTC launches privacy-focused smart glasses
HTC started selling the four hundred ninety nine dollar Vive Eagle smart glasses in the US in September. They have cameras, speakers, and an embedded AI agent, but HTC designed them to avoid privacy controversies.
## Meta's smart glasses face privacy backlash
Meta has been dogged by controversy over its smart glasses, with people worried about face-recognition features and calling the wearers creepy. HTC is aware of that discourse and thinks it can do better.
## Privacy protections built into the hardware
A bright indicator light shows when cameras are recording.If you cover the light, it won't record.If someone asks you to stop recording, it stops.
## AI assistant doesn't require login
The Vive AI assistant can use OpenAI's ChatGPT or Google's Gemini without requiring a login, keeping users de-identified so the services don't retain personal information.
## HTC's privacy pitch to skeptics
Dan McDowell, HTC Vive's head of enterprise sales, says the company is not a social media company and has no benefit from collecting user data.HTC doesn't train AI models with information used on the glasses.

> We're not a social media company. There's no benefit to me to have any of your info.
## The trust problem remains unsolved
The Vive Eagles look similar to Meta glasses, so people wearing them often get mistaken for Meta users.
## HTC hopes better players shift culture
HTC believes more companies with better privacy practices will help shift cultural disdain for smart glasses.Other makers are going cameraless or adding privacy shields, but Meta has captured the market.

> We'd like to make sure that our technology adapts to society's expectations, not the other way around.
## Key takeaway

HTC launched the four hundred ninety nine dollar Vive Eagle smart glasses in September with privacy protections including encrypted local storage and no automatic cloud uploads, positioning itself against Meta's privacy-troubled devices.