Oakley today shared several social media teasers for an upcoming product that it is releasing in partnership with Facebook parent company Meta, and it's likely to be the Oakley-branded smart glasses that were rumored earlier this year.
Meta already has a set of smart glasses that it produces in partnership with Ray-Ban, but in January, Bloomberg claimed that Meta is also working to bring the technology to Oakley sunglasses. Like the Meta Ray-Bans, the Meta Oakleys will feature built-in cameras for capturing photos and videos, along with AI capabilities.
Meta AI is integrated into the Ray-Bans and able to answer queries about the wearer's surroundings. The glasses also include speakers and can play music, plus they allow the wearer to accept phone calls.
The Oakley version of the Meta glasses could be based on the Oakley Sphaera glasses, with the camera positioned at the center of the glasses frame. Meta may market the glasses at cyclists and other athletes that already wear Oakley sunglasses.
Oakley didn't confirm exactly what's in the works and the teaser is limited to the Meta and Oakley logos, but there's little else that the two companies could be releasing. We'll learn more on June 20, when the new product is set to be released.
Apple is rumored to be working to catch up to Meta, and the Cupertino company is developing its own set of camera-equipped smart glasses. Apple's smart glasses are expected to include cameras, microphones, and AI capabilities, much like the Meta Ray-Bans. Both Meta and Apple are working on full augmented reality glasses, and Meta has already shown off an "Orion" prototype. Meta's AR glasses could be ready to launch as soon as 2027.
