HTC has joined the smart glasses race with its Vive Eagle model, promising a more privacy-conscious approach than its competitors. For a hefty $499, you get a pair that can take photos, play music and even offer recipes, all while maintaining a low-key stance on privacy concerns.

Unlike Meta, which has faced scrutiny for facial recognition features, HTC is keen to reassure users that their data won’t be misused. The glasses come with a bright indicator light that stops recording when covered, and all footage is encrypted and stored locally. However, the design similarities to Meta’s glasses make it hard to convince everyone of the difference.

According to Dan McDowell, HTC’s head of enterprise sales, the company’s lack of a social media profile means there’s no incentive to misuse user data. 'We're not a social media company,' he says. 'There's no benefit to me to have any of your info.' But can users really trust that? With other companies like Even Realities and Viture also focusing on privacy, the future of smart glasses could be less about surveillance and more about personal freedom.

The Eagle glasses also come with an AI assistant, but without the personalisation features that come with using it on a smartphone. While this might be seen as a drawback, it could also be seen as a step towards more private tech. Whether or not this will change public perception remains to be seen, but with other companies following suit, the race for privacy-conscious tech is on.