Ray-Ban is all set to release the new Facebook smart glasses on September 9. Although not an augmented reality device in the exact sense of the word, it does represent the next step by Facebook for its future AR/VR plans. But more than that, Facebook will hope to make smart glasses a staple of users worldwide.
It looks like those big clunky augmented reality or virtual reality headsets may be replaced by something more comfortable sooner than imagined, going by a teaserOpens a new window from luxury sunglasses vendor Ray-Ban. Evidently, the company has collaborated with Facebook and its parent company EssilorLuxottica for what can only be a pair of trendy new smart glasses.
Without revealing too much, rather anything about the new product, Ray-Ban’s teaser page suggests the AR smart glasses will be introduced on September 9. However, Facebook CEO Mark ZuckerbergOpens a new window did post a video on the social networking site that clarifies at least two things: the new device can record videos and can be worn near the water. Check out the video below:
Facebook’s VP of augmented and virtual reality, Andrew BosworthOpens a new window , also posted a playful video wherein he’s randomly throwing pillows at his boss, not to mention one of the world’s richest techies.
😎 pic.twitter.com/Vun7vmuCbUOpens a new window
— Boz (@boztank) September 6, 2021Opens a new window
Note the single sunglasses emoji hinting at the things Facebook is cooking. Facebook’s plans for smart glasses have been in the works since a while now. The company in January this year confirmedOpens a new window that smart glasses are set to arrive “sooner than later.†Later in July, Zuckerberg announced the possibility of a launch during Facebook’s Q2 2021 earnings callOpens a new window .
“Looking ahead here, the next product release will be the launch of our first smart glasses from Ray-Ban in partnership with Essilor Luxottica,†Zuckerberg saidOpens a new window . “The glasses have their iconic form factor, and they let you do some pretty neat things. I’m excited to get these into people’s hands and to continue to make progress on the journey towards full augmented reality glasses in the future.â€
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Augmented Reality and Metaverse Ambitions
Facebook’s plans for metaverse, a computing platform intended to deliver virtual albeit natural-like experiences, are also going strong. Metaverse is essentially a network that brings together users or user-owned digital assets, identities, physically-derived virtual spaces, communities, etc.
Theoretically, metaverse could have an office, a person’s casual hangout place, an entertainment arena and so on. The world’s largest social networking company is presently bootstrapping the idea into existence. While it does that, Facebook is aiming to become a metaverse company.
The Menlo Park, CA-based company recently announced the launch of Horizon Workrooms towards this end. Horizon Workrooms provides a glimpse of what Facebook envisions the metaverse to be. It is designed specifically to enable work collaboration and meetings. Horizon Workrooms is based on Oculus Quest 2, an AR headset.
Venture capitalist Matthew BallOpens a new window , who is currently a managing partner of EpyllionCo, deems hardwareOpens a new window as one of the core elements of enabling metaverse. This includes AR/VR headsets, mobile phones, haptic gloves, but not compute-specific hardware (GPU chips and servers) or networking-specific hardware (fiber optic cabling or wireless chipsets).
Facebook-Ray-Ban Smart Glasses
Naturally, it is too early to say if the Facebook-Ray-Ban smart glasses will be functionally similar to the poorly received Google Glass, which was launched first in 2013 for consumers. It was relaunched in 2019 for enterprise use cases where Microsoft’s HoloLens reigned.
Google Glass for consumers was criticized for being cumbersome, way too expensive, threatening to user privacy. Facebook is no stranger to privacy-related criticisms. After all, the company’s entire revenue generation model is built on tracking its more than 2.6 billion monthly active usersOpens a new window .
It is unclear if the Facebook-Ray-Ban smart glasses are for consumers. However, given Zuckerberg has time and again conveyed the importance of social applications in AR/VR, it is possible the new smart glasses will be positioned for the consumer market, at least from the outset.
It is similar to Snapchat SpectaclesOpens a new window in at least one function: video recording. Little can be said if, like Spectacles, Facebook’s new smart glasses will have microphones, touch controls, or position tracking, which is required for ascertaining the relative position of objects virtually.
What’s clear, according to The VergeOpens a new window , is that the new smart glasses won’t be like typical AR devices. This means that users won’t be able to project images on their surroundings, nor will they have access to Facebook’s neural wristband technology. At least not now.
Aesthetically, the smart glasses could be styled as a Wayfarer frame, a silhouette on the teaser page suggests.
Users can sign up hereOpens a new window to receive a release notification from Ray-Ban.
Closing Thoughts
There are a few things to note here. First, Facebook is looking for alternative revenue sources, but it cannot be disputed that making a profit is still a distant reality.
Second, Facebook is consistently working on its long-term vision in AR/VR. This answers critics that lambast the company over the lack of any new, internally built offerings (although we doubt Zuckerberg cares). More importantly, it also helps Facebook in staying relevant in the future and inching toward cementing its position in one of the most highly anticipated technology spaces.
Third, Facebook has smartly roped in an internationally recognized brand Ray-Ban to help with designing smart glasses. Besides Ray-Ban’s brand value, the partnership also allows Facebook to milk value by adding a fashionable element to the tech.
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