As with all major technology firms, Meta allocates billions yearly for acquisitions and collaborations it anticipates will evolve into lucrative investments in the future. The organization is slated to invest $70 billion in AI in 2025 alone; however, its ten-year investment of approximately the same figure in AR/VR research is the one poised to yield substantial returns.
I’m referring, of course, to the imminent introduction of several new smart glasses branded with Ray-Ban and Oakley, which are set to be revealed at Meta Connect 2025 on September 17 at 5 p.m. PT. Central to this is a new concept for smart glasses, seemingly dubbed Ray-Ban Meta Display, based on recent leaks. These glasses represent a genuine next-generation enhancement over current Ray-Ban Smart glasses, but Meta is not stopping there.
The company is also anticipated to unveil a fresh range of Optical and Sunglasses Ray-Bans featuring Meta technology inside, along with a sportier edition of Oakley smart glasses in the signature Sphaera visor style. It appears that the company is fully committed to glasses from EssilorLuxottica brands, marking just the beginning of what we will witness from this collaboration when they are likely revealed at Meta Connect 2025 this week.
Brand Influence
Just this week, Amazon revealed a new hardware event where they are expected to showcase their own next-generation Echo Frames. These smart glasses are rumored to be a significant improvement over the previous audio-only Echo Frames, purportedly offering similar features to Ray-Ban Display glasses, including cameras and a display integrated into at least one of the lenses.
However, the surprising detail is that they are rumored to retail for $800, identical to the price of Ray-Ban Display glasses. Even if Amazon somehow manages to incorporate greater power and technology into their frames for the same price, I am skeptical that many consumers would choose Amazon-branded glasses over Ray-Bans, particularly at that price point.
This scenario aptly illustrates the position Meta now occupies after years of assuring investors that a legitimate return on their investments is just around the corner. Miniaturizing technology sufficiently to create an appealing pair of glasses has proven to be an exceptionally challenging endeavor, yet it’s evident that Meta has impressed EssilorLuxottica enough to develop an even more advanced pair, and I anticipate customers will find them equally impressive.
Recognizing this trend, Google is undertaking similar efforts to design smart glasses for popular eyewear brands. The company announced a partnership with Warby Parker and Gentle Monster earlier this summer. As an individual who only began wearing glasses two years ago, I had never encountered these brands until Google’s announcement, but I have certainly known of Oakley and Ray-Ban since childhood.
Meta seems to have partnered with the right brands that hold universal appeal, and further speculation suggests that the company will set its sights on Prada users next, potentially with an even higher price tag to reflect the brand’s status.
The Devil may wear Prada, but so do many others with substantial wealth, and Meta’s role as the fashionable smart glasses brand will solidify its legacy in a manner that I doubt even Mark Zuckerberg could have envisioned just a few years ago.
