“12% of people with glasses wear them in an attempt to see better. 88% of people with glasses wear them as an attempt to appear smarter.” — Mokokoma Mokhonoana
Ray-Ban is a luxury brand of sunglasses that has ruled the entire eyewear market since 1936 with the slogan ‘Never Hide’. In the race for immersive technology, Ray-Ban launched Meta smart sunglasses to complement the wearables trend. It was a smart move to get an edge with the built-in features of advanced IoT technology and a blend of fashion.
Previously, in 2021, when Meta (then called Facebook) launched Ray-Ban Stories smart sunglasses, it failed to catch fire among people, and the product saw a 13% return rate, as per the Wall Street Journal report. Driven by optimism, Meta’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg, in partnership with EssilorLuxottica, announced the next-generation Ray Ban Meta Smart Sunglasses collection, which ‘frees users from holding cameras’ in September 2023 and launched in October. Ever since they were launched, these smart sunglasses have made a splash among people as they are stylish, iconic, and integrated with IoT technology.
Speaking at the Meta Connect Conference, Mark Zuckerberg said, “the device would incorporate a Meta-AI assistant and possess the capability to live stream what a user sees directly to Facebook and Instagram.”
Mark Zuckerburg flaunted the company’s new artificial intelligence-powered Ray Ban Meta Sunglasses in his Instagram post, where he used the technology to braid his daughter’s hair. He asked his Ray Bans, “Hey Meta, how can I make a braid?” The AI in the smartglasses seemingly guides Mark Zuckerberg through the steps to braid his daughter’s hair. He proceeds further to take a photo of the braid and caption it: “Finally, learned to braid. Thanks, Meta AI.” and sends to his wife by giving commands to his glasses, “Hey Meta, send a photo to Priscilla on WhatsApp,”
Meta’s Innovation
Meta AI Voice Control
“Hey Meta”
Designed for living in the moment with iconic style, cutting-edge technology, and lightweight form allows you to express yourself to the max. The new Ray Ban Meta Smart Sunglasses feel more like traditional eyewear and less like glasshole-wearing ones from a decade ago, one of the users said. Meta doesn’t seem to try to impress tech geeks but wants to give people an out-of-the-world experience through its SMART SUNGLASSES.
Surprisingly Stylish
Keeping the latest trend in mind, Zuckerberg gave sunglasses a classic Wayfarer style and new headliner design, both in Matte Black and Shiny Black. It features a transparent frame available in three colours Rebel Black, Jeans, and Caramel. With more than 150 frames, you can easily customise glasses as per your requirements.
Camera Quality
The 12MP high camera enhances the photo, panoramic views, and 1080p video quality instantly. Take audio rich immersive videos, thanks to the five-mic audio system.
Processor
Powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon AR1 Gen1 platform, these glasses provide you with high-quality photos, video processing, and faster computing.
Meta AI Integration
Featuring Meta AI, a conversational assistant, users can easily interact with Meta AI saying ‘Hey Meta,’ enabling feature control via voice commands, which will be initially available in the US only.
Hands-Free Livestream
Live and capture every moment during livestream directly on Instagram and Facebook. Also seamlessly switch between your sunglasses and phone cameras while sharing your POV.
Listen Carefree
To enjoy the music, listen to music and call without disconnecting from what’s around you. Listen to your favourite music with higher maximum volume.
Smooth Touch Control
Play your music, activate the camera, or connect with someone – all in a single touch with the hyper-responsive touchpad and capture button.
Easier Calling & Messaging
Calling and messaging have become easier with voice commands. Call and message on Whatsapp, Messenger, and SMS with a simple voice command.
Better Battery Life
Focus on your day and tasks without any intervention, thanks to its four hours of extended battery life, plus a portable charging case, with up to eight charges.
The Ray Ban Meta Smart Sunglasses are starting at $299 and are available for pre-order on both meta.com and ray-ban.com. Meta AI feature is available in the US in beta. Though Ray-Ban Meta Smart Sunglasses will not supplant your smartphones or earbuds, they can be the great choice for tech geeks to try a unique product.
