Meta Teams Up With Oakley, Prada For Next-Gen AI Smart Glasses

Meta Platforms, Inc. META and EssilorLuxottica are preparing to launch new AI-powered smart glasses under the Oakley and Prada brands, according to information obtained by CNBC on Tuesday. 

The move follows the strong performance of the second-generation Ray-Ban smart glasses, which debuted in 2023 through a partnership between Meta and Luxottica.

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Brand Expansion and Partnerships

• Oakley Collaboration: The Oakley-branded smart glasses will be developed in partnership with Luxottica. Meta recently hinted at this launch by creating an Instagram account for "Oakley | Meta," announcing, "The next evolution is coming on June 20.”
• Prada Partnership: Introducing Prada marks Meta's initial step toward collaborating with more high-end fashion brands. The agreement with Prada follows the renewal of a 10-year eyewear licensing deal between Prada and Luxottica in December.

Product Focus and Features

• Target Audience: The upcoming Oakley smart glasses are reportedly aimed at athletes and active users, inspired by the popularity of Ray-Ban smart glasses among people who use them for recording sports and outdoor activities.
• Pricing and Durability: The Oakley version is expected to cost around $360 and will offer greater weather resistance compared to the Ray-Ban models. The first Oakley Meta glasses will include similar technology to the Ray-Ban Meta glasses released in 2023.
• Design Considerations: Prada's eyewear, known for thicker temples, is considered ideal for housing the components needed for smart glasses, such as microphones and chips.

What Else: Meta is preparing to start advertisements within WhatsApp, its cross-platform messaging service, as a way to boost revenue streams. 

The company, which has already found significant success with ads on platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, will introduce these ads in WhatsApp's "Updates" section, an area that attracts about 1.5 billion daily visitors.

Ads are expected to begin appearing for some WhatsApp users as early as Monday, with a gradual rollout planned over the coming months. 

Meta recently announced that its advertising revenue reached $41.39 billion in the first quarter, up from $35.65 billion during the same period in 2024. The company also reported a 5% year-over-year increase in ad impressions across its apps and a 10% rise in the average price per ad.

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Photo: Shutterstock (These glasses are the Ray Ban Meta AI glasses.)