The race to turn smart glasses from niche gadget to everyday accessory took another step today as EssilorLuxottica and Meta unveiled a new, more accessible collection. Building on their Ray‑Ban smart glasses collaboration, the pair say the latest range blends EssilorLuxottica’s optical and frame know‑how with Meta’s on‑device tech to widen the addressable market and add options across styles and price points.
The move fits a broader Big Tech pivot toward wearables as AI features migrate from phones to face-worn devices. Lower pricing and wider distribution are designed to push adoption beyond early adopters, with the partners likely to follow up with iterative hardware updates and software services that keep users engaged.
For South African investors, the story is about the maturing smart eyewear category: global brands with strong retail footprints—some present locally—are positioning to capture new consumer spend as AI-enabled accessories scale. It’s another sign that wearable ecosystems are consolidating around a few deep-pocketed players with manufacturing and retail leverage. Read the full announcement.