Zinger Key Points
- Meta is expanding its AI wearables lineup with Oakley-branded smart glasses, smartwatches and camera-equipped earbuds.
- Meta is reconsidering its smartwatch project, aiming for a potential 2025 launch with smart glasses integration.
Meta Platforms Inc. META is advancing its wearable technology lineup, developing Oakley-branded smart glasses and exploring new AI-powered devices, including smartwatches and earbuds with built-in cameras.
According to a report from Bloomberg, the company aims to enhance its AI ecosystem by integrating smart hardware into everyday accessories.
The move signals Meta's continued push into augmented reality and AI-driven computing, despite years of mixed results in the wearable space. While its Ray-Ban smart glasses have gained traction, broader consumer adoption has been slow.
A New Look for Smart Glasses: Oakley Edition And The $1,000 Hypernova
Meta's current Ray-Ban smart glasses, packed with cameras, microphones, and AI features, are getting a major expansion under the internal code name “Supernova.”
This includes launching in new global markets and extending the tech to other Luxottica brands, including Oakley.
The Oakley version, “Supernova 2,” is designed specifically for cyclists and athletes, featuring a center-mounted camera to better capture movement and surroundings.
The real game-changer, though, is “Hypernova,” a high-end pair of smart glasses expected to launch in 2025.
Unlike its predecessors, this version will have a built-in display on the lower portion of the right lens, letting users check notifications, view images, and run simple apps, all without pulling out a phone.
The price tag? Roughly $1,000, a big jump from the $299 starting price of Meta's current Ray-Bans.
Smartwatch Project Resumes; Earbuds With Cameras?
Meta has been toying with the idea of a smartwatch for years, scrapping and reviving the project multiple times. Now, the company is once again considering launching a Meta-branded smartwatch as soon as 2025.
If it moves forward, the device would likely integrate with Meta's smart glasses, serving as an AI-powered companion to display photos and notifications captured by the eyewear.
Meta Wants To See Through Your Ears
Perhaps the most ambitious project in Meta's pipeline is AI-powered earbuds with built-in cameras, internally called “Camera Buds.”
The idea is simple but futuristic: Wearers could look at an object and ask the earbuds to analyze it in real time, similar to what Meta's AI already does with its smart glasses.
But it's not all smooth sailing. Engineers are reportedly struggling with camera placement and usability for people with long hair, which could delay the project.
If Meta finds a fix, these could be a major competitor to Apple Inc.'s AirPods and Samsung's Galaxy Buds, both of which are reportedly exploring camera-enabled models of their own.
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