By Hazel D. Dufrene
Meta’s partnership with eyewear giant Ray-Ban resulted in the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, which, since their release in 2023, have taken over the wearable technology market.
Two years after releasing the Ray-Ban Meta, Meta execs have doubled down on their AI wearables initiative. The company plans to release six new mixed-reality devices this year, including AI glasses and further updates and upgrades to the existing Ray-Ban Meta. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has already stated that the company aims to ship hundreds of millions and “eventually” sell “billions” of AI glasses.
In 2024, Meta launched the mixed-reality headset Meta Quest 3S alongside the revamped version of the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses. Meanwhile, recent reports from Bloomberg hint at Meta’s first-ever sports-themed Oakley-branded AR glasses designed for athletes. Other industry reports point to augmented reality (AR) integration, with Meta developing glasses featuring a heads-up display, internally called the “Hypernova”.
Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses
Released in 2023, the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses combine fashionable eyewear designs — thanks to Ray-Ban’s timeless designs —with wearable technology. Featuring a built-in 12MP camera and an upgraded mic, wearers can use the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses to capture images and videos and even live stream to Meta platforms like Instagram and Facebook.
Marketed towards content creators and the influencer generation, the smart glasses are inspired by Ray-Ban’s existing prescription glasses models, including the Wayfarer, which has many variants. The Ray-Ban Meta’s predecessor, Ray-Ban Stories, also incorporated other classical designs from the eyewear brand, such as the Round Optics. One of the recent updates to the Ray-Ban Meta includes the incorporation of the Skyler eyewear model, so users can expect even more updates in the future to feature other iconic Ray-Ban designs.
Aside from upgrades in design, the Ray-Ban Meta also recently introduced AI integration, allowing wearers to speak to the glasses’ built-in Meta AI assistant for queries, real-time translation, and other purposes. As mentioned above, there are plans for a future Ray-Ban Meta model to include an AR display for notifications and text information from the Meta AI. In a previous post, we highlighted the rising popularity of augmented reality in industries such as healthcare and retail, so it’s no surprise that Meta and Ray-Ban would want to capitalize on the increasingly in-demand tech.
Meta’s Orion AR glasses
Of course, this wouldn’t be the first of Meta’s venture into augmented reality. During the Meta Connect 2024, the company’s AR glasses, Orion (previously codenamed Project Nazare), were announced. Meta claims they were the most advanced pair of AR glasses ever made, with chatbot assistant AI voices featuring work from celebrities like Judi Dench and John Cena.
Compared to other augmented and mixed reality headsets like Apple’s Vision Pro and the Meta Quest 3 headsets, the Orion uses passthrough video capabilities to squeeze the same tech into a wearable that still passes as a pair of prescription glasses. Unlike the Ray-Ban Meta, however, the Orion’s design and frames are slightly chunkier to accommodate for the added hardware.
Using Orion, wearers can look at the physical world and rely on the glasses for smart and insightful visualizations. For example, you can look into your refrigerator and ask for a recipe based on what’s inside. Similarly, you can also video call a friend while adjusting a digital family calendar as you handle house chores.
Meta’s Oakley smart glasses
Finally, another standout point in Meta’s future wearable technology plans is the sports-based Oakley-branded smart glasses. Set to launch sometime in the year, the smart glasses will be based on Oakley’s renowned Sphaera series, with features designed and built for athletes and fitness enthusiasts.
Instead of the built-in camera on the side of the frames like the Ray-Ban Meta, the Oakley smart glasses would feature a reconfigured camera mounted at the center of the frame. This is meant to improve balance and tracking accuracy for highly physical activities like cycling or running.
Thus far, Meta’s work with established eyewear brands like Ray-Ban helps bridge the gap between fashion and tech functionality. By releasing smart eyewear in familiar models and designs, the company can reach wider audiences that are already familiar with popular eyewear designs — whether it’s Ray-Ban’s classic styles or Oakley’s futuristic and athletic eyewear.
About the author
Hazel D. Dufrene is a freelance tech and business reporter. She is interested in updates on new developments in smart wearables and artificial intelligence. When Hazel isn’t busy working on her latest piece, you can find her testing out new VR games.