Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses are attracting more potential manufacturers
The Meta-powered Ray-Ban smart glasses, which recently got Meta AI support, are apparently starting a trend. Impressed by the success these glasses have gotten, other companies are now approaching EssilorLuxottica for potential partnerships.
EssilorLuxottica is the company that owns Ray-Ban. Despite the lack of a display, their Ray-Ban smart glasses sold so well that Meta merged its XR division Reality Labs into two categories. And one of those categories — Wearables — is focusing on the Ray-Ban smart glasses amidst other similar gadgets.
According to an interview with Rocco Basilico, chief wearables officer at EssilorLuxottica, other tech companies have approached them for developing smart glasses.
EssilorLuxottica is the company that owns Ray-Ban. Despite the lack of a display, their Ray-Ban smart glasses sold so well that Meta merged its XR division Reality Labs into two categories. And one of those categories — Wearables — is focusing on the Ray-Ban smart glasses amidst other similar gadgets.
The Ray-Ban smart glasses have gotten a lot better since launch with Meta AI.
This, in my opinion, is fantastic news. As a huge proponent of the XR (Extended Reality) industry, seeing smart glasses gain more traction is exciting. Especially because recent developments lead me to believe that smart glasses are transitioning to making displays a default characteristic.
For example, Meta is currently working on a pair of AI-powered AR smart glasses. And at Google I/O 2024’s Project Astra demo we were shown a pair of AR (Augmented Reality) glasses using Google’s AI model Gemini.
And then we’ve got other companies finding new ways to make AR more convenient for daily use. Take, for example, the Xreal Beam Pro, which is essentially a smartphone geared towards powering Xreal’s AR glasses.
Basilico says EssilorLuxottica’s current partnership remains solely with Meta, but the company has talked with the other corporations that have sent proposals. Which means that following the success of Ray-Ban’s smart glasses, other companies are finally seeing the potential of smart glasses.
It’s quite obvious, I think, that most people don’t want to wear a bulky VR headset in public. Which is why it makes sense that companies are now experimenting with AR glasses and smart glasses.
I just really wish something actually comes of it.
And then we’ve got other companies finding new ways to make AR more convenient for daily use. Take, for example, the Xreal Beam Pro, which is essentially a smartphone geared towards powering Xreal’s AR glasses.
Basilico says EssilorLuxottica’s current partnership remains solely with Meta, but the company has talked with the other corporations that have sent proposals. Which means that following the success of Ray-Ban’s smart glasses, other companies are finally seeing the potential of smart glasses.
I just really wish something actually comes of it.
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