Meta is adding ridiculous ‘rate limits’ and a soft paywall to its smart glasses
Meta is introducing a subscription-based 'rate limit' for the Conversation Focus feature on its smart glasses, restricting usage to three hours per month for non-subscribers. Critics argue the move is unjustified because the feature runs locally on the device's hardware rather than on Meta's servers.
Why it matters
This move highlights the growing trend of companies gating local hardware features behind software subscriptions, raising consumer concerns about product ownership and value.
Would you pay $20 a month for access to AI hardware you already own? That appears to be one of Meta’s next bets. This week, it quietly announced that your glasses’ Conversation Focus feature will soon be limited to three hours of use per month, unless you pay for a $19.99 Meta One Premium subscription.
The use of loaded language like 'ridiculous' and 'bogus' indicates a critical stance toward the company's business practices.
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