MORE DETAILS ABOUT META OAKLEY SUNGLASSES.
Meta and EssilorLuxottica intend to distribute their AI-powered smart spectacles under the Oakley and Prada brands.
Meta’s second-generation Ray-Ban glasses, which were released in partnership with Luxottica in 2023, were a breakout success, as evidenced by the inclusion of Prada and Oakley.
The Oakley expansion will be conducted in collaboration with Luxottica, while the inclusion of Prada represents Meta’s initial endeavour to expand its wearable hardware to include additional fashion companies.
Meta began teasing the Oakley release on social media on Monday by creating an Instagram account for “Oakley | Meta.” The profile description of the account reads, “The next evolution is coming on June 20.”
According to a document examined by CNBC, Luxottica’s new glasses will be targeted at athletes.
Meta has identified active consumers as its target demographic following the discovery that numerous Ray-Ban glasses owners have utilised the device to document themselves engaging in activities such as skiing, tennis, and other sports.
The Oakley variant of the glasses, which is more weather-resistant than its Ray-Ban counterparts is expected to cost approximately $360 according to an individual who is not authorized to speak publicly about the upcoming device.
Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images
The initial iteration of the Oakley Meta spectacles will incorporate technology that is comparable to that of the Ray-Ban Meta glasses, which were introduced in 2023.
Luxottica, which is headquartered in France and Italy, has licensing agreements with more than 150 labels and is the owner of prestigious brands such as Ray-Ban, Oakley, Vogue Eyewear, and Persol.
Meta’s agreement with Prada follows the fashion company’s renewal of an eyewear-related licensing agreement with Luxottica for a period of ten years in December.
The companies stated at the time that the agreements encompass the “development, production, and worldwide distribution of eyewear under the Prada, Prada Linea Rossa, and Miu Miu brands.”
In addition to providing Meta with a high-end partnership, the Prada spectacles may be an especially suitable choice for the technology company due to the fact that many of the brand’s models feature thick temples, according to former Meta employees.
This facilitates the housing of numerous components essential for smart eyewear, such as chips and microphones, by increasing their weight.
The date of the announcement of the Prada agreement and product line is uncertain. In 2019, Meta and EssilorLuxottica formed a partnership to collaborate on the development of the Ray-Ban spectacles.
The initial version was published by the two companies in 2021; however, they achieved success following the release of the second-generation Ray-Ban Meta glasses in 2023.
The Meta AI voice assistant is included in that version, which also offers the ability to identify city landmarks, obtain recipes when viewing ingredients, and record and send voice messages on WhatsApp and Messenger when tethered to a smartphone.
In February, EssilorLuxottica CEO Francesco Milleri announced that the companies have sold 2 million pairs of the Meta Ray-Ban spectacles since 2023.
Miller stated that his objective was to elevate annual production to 10 million units by the conclusion of 2026.
In September, Meta and Luxottica announced an expansion of their partnership, which will result in the release of additional Ray-Ban spectacles. According to a July 2024 report in The Wall Street Journal, the value of that agreement was $5 billion.
Meta acquires exclusive rights to Luxottica’s brands for its smart eyewear technology for an extended period as part of the agreement, according to an individual with knowledge of the situation.
In anticipation of the forthcoming holiday season, the two organisations intend to introduce a third iteration of their glasses that is more substantial.
The new device is anticipated to incorporate a small display into one of the optics. The market is experiencing an increase in competition.
Alphabet and Warby Parker announced a $150 million partnership last month. The partnership will involve the development of spectacles that are equipped with Google’s Gemini AI assistant.
The glasses are expected to be released by the corporations sometime after 2025. In June, Snap, on the other hand, disclosed its intention to introduce its sixth-generation smart spectacles under the new brand “Specs.”
The spectacles, which are anticipated for release in 2026, will be smaller and lighter than Snap’s previous products and will incorporate augmented-reality technology, according to Snap.
Meta declined to provide a response. Luxottica and Prada were unable to be contacted.
