RayNeo's iO camera-free smart glasses boast an AI-agnostic version of the Siri Recap feature coming to Apple Watch — and I’m not sure if I love or hate it

At IFA 2026 I got to experience several pairs of smart specs including two from RayNeo: the impressive GT Max glasses which could be my new favorites , and the RayNeo iO.

I’ve tried specs like iO before.

They’re smart like Meta Ray-Bans — meaning they can link up with apps and offer AI assistance on the go — but hide clear displays for HUD elements in their lenses, and — crucially, given the current backlash against so-called "pervert glasses" — lack a camera.

And so far I’ve been unimpressed by the models like this that I've tested.

While not having a camera is a big privacy boost, it also strips out an incredibly useful tool that can be used for capturing first-person memories or giving the AI the context of what you can see.

What’s more, the app used to control the specs and on-device controls can be pretty terrible.

I haven't felt convinced that the features left behind once you remove the camera are really for me. @techradar ♬ original sound - TechRadar Out of the gate, the app and controls have been solved in the RayNeo iO.

My experience with the app is that it’s incredibly smooth, with features loading up quickly.

Meanwhile moving between apps on the glasses is a breeze with the Digital Crown, a physical dial and button (yes, just like the Apple Watch and AirPods Max control of the same name) that's perfect for cycling between options.

It's less temperamental than swiping on the frame, and more convenient than always needing your phone in your hand.

As for the features themselves, I’m still not convinced they’re for me, but they do have their uses.

You can see notification popups, create memos for yourself, there’s real-time translation and captions, you can call on AI assistance, have easy access to information such as stock prices, or use them as a teleprompter.

The captions actually seem like an awesome accessibility tool for anyone hard of hearing, and RayNeo showed me how a deaf person can see the text of someone talking to them without needing to be able to see them and watch them sign — the glasses can effectively tell someone hard of hearing if someone behind them is trying to get their attention.

The standout tool of iO is Life Log, though.