Meta and eyewear giant EssilorLuxottica plan to work together on smart glasses “for the next decade.” The collaboration, which began in 2019 and led to the launch of two generations of Ray-Ban smart glasses, has been expanded with a newly announced long-term agreement.
So far, the partnership has helped Meta produce smart glasses that stand out in terms of style. It looks like Meta is looking to continue that trend in its next-generation eyeglass frames. EssilorLuxottica owns brands like Ray-Ban, Oakley, and has licensing deals with luxury brands like Versace, Prada, and Chanel.
“I’m excited about our long-term roadmap ahead. We have an opportunity to transform eyewear into the next big tech platform, and we can make it fashionable,” Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in a press release.
Meta is expected to introduce new augmented reality (AR) glasses at a conference next week in Menlo Park, California.
Meta and Ray-Ban’s extension of deal shows that the worlds of technology and fashion are coming closer
Meta and EssilorLuxottica’s extension of this partnership signals that the worlds of technology and fashion will come even closer. The combination of Ray-Ban’s aesthetics with Meta’s technological innovations creates new opportunities for both companies. Especially considering Meta’s metaverse strategy, such wearable technologies will play a major role.
Two generations of Ray-Ban smart glasses have been released, but they do not yet offer a widespread AR experience. It is known that Meta aims to further develop the potential of AR technology by investing in it. EssilorLuxottica’s experience in the fashion and eyewear sector allows Meta to design its products in a way that appeals to users not only technologically but also aesthetically.
Meta is expected to introduce its new AR glasses next week. This introduction could provide clues about the future of glasses and how augmented reality technologies can be integrated into our daily lives. Especially within the framework of the metaverse vision, these glasses are expected to offer more functionality and user interaction. The extension of the agreement with EssilorLuxottica until after 2030 clearly demonstrates Meta’s commitment and long-term strategic goals in this area.