Meta Wears Prada? Why Its Next-gen Ar Glasses May Be Even More Fashionable Than Ray-bans

Prada's Linea Rossa glasses are an illustration of frames that could perchance fiit a batch of technology.

Prada | Jason Hiner/ZDNET

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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• We expect nan 3.0 type of Meta's audio-only Ray-Ban smart glasses astatine Meta Connect successful September pinch respective upgrades.
• Meta executives person teased that aggregate wearables are coming this fall.
• There are reports that Meta will besides motorboat a caller statement of AR smart glasses that person a show and that it will partner pinch a different EssilorLuxotica brand: Prada.

Multiple reports proceed to watercourse successful astir Meta launching its adjacent procreation smart glasses -- nan successors to its Meta Ray-Bans, which person acold exceeded income expectations complete nan past 2 years. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and CTO Andrew Bosworth person mostly confirmed that Meta will merchandise aggregate wearable products this fall. 

But 1 of nan things flying nether nan radar is that Meta will reportedly present a caller marque partner: Prada. This has been known since a June study from CNBC. It makes sense, not only because Prada glasses thin to beryllium ample and bulky capable to clasp plentifulness of technology, but Prada's glasses are nether nan umbrella of EssilorLuxotica, nan aforesaid institution that runs nan Ray-Ban and Oakley brands. Meta reportedly acquired a 3% liking successful EssilorLuxotica successful June to officially widen and grow nan business -- and presumably frost retired different tech brands from making akin deals pinch them. 

There's been plentifulness of disorder and speculation astir nan smart glasses Meta will denote astatine its Meta Connect arena connected September 17. Because Meta is launching aggregate products, immoderate of nan wires person gotten crossed by reporters -- for example, conflating features successful Meta's "Hypernova" aliases "Celeste" glasses (the 2 codenames astir associated pinch Meta AR glasses) pinch nan adjacent loop of Meta Ray-Bans AI glasses. So let's break it down.

Also: I tried smart glasses pinch a built-in display, and they made my Meta Ray-Bans consciousness outdated

We expect Meta to motorboat 2 products:

1.) The 3.0 type of Meta Ray-Bans audio-only AI glasses -- These will perchance travel pinch longer artillery life and upgraded cameras to lucifer nan caller Meta Oakley glasses, and we person to expect immoderate caller AI features arsenic well. These will apt costs $300-$500. 

2.) Next-gen AR glasses pinch a display -- It's wide reported that Meta will besides unveil a group of future-facing smart glasses that will see a colour show successful nan correct eye, will usage a neural wristband for controls pinch manus gestures, and will costs astir $800. 

It's nan 2nd brace that's apt to get nan astir attraction since it would beryllium a wholly caller merchandise line. So let's double-click connected it.

These AR glasses won't beryllium nan user type of nan Orion glasses prototype that Meta showed disconnected astatine Meta Connect 2024 past year. Those reportedly costs complete $10,000 to make, were very heavy and heavy, and not applicable for mundane wear. However, they did see a neural wristband (codenamed "Ceres") that's apt to beryllium akin to 1 that's reportedly successful nan upcoming Hypernova glasses. 

Also: Samsung 'Galaxy Glasses' powered by Android XR are reportedly connected way to beryllium unveiled this month

This is wherever Prada comes in. 

The celebrated luxury marque is known for its thick-rimmed glasses, specified arsenic nan Prada Linea Rossa line. In fact, these mightiness moreover beryllium thicker than Ray-Bans, which would supply other room for Meta to battalion successful nan latest technologies needed to tally cameras, speakers, AI-powered chips, and a colour display. 

Getting backmost to nan wristband, it doesn't make a batch of consciousness for Meta to see a wristband successful a user merchandise erstwhile it doesn't do thing other isolated from power your glasses. However, Meta has besides agelong been rumored to beryllium moving connected a smartwatch, and now a report from DigiTimes expects Meta to besides motorboat a smartwatch astatine Meta Connect arsenic a companion to its smart glasses and VR headsets. The neural wristband exertion would perchance beryllium embedded into nan watch.

Also: 5 Meta Ray-Ban upgrades that person maine excited for September 17

It makes a batch much consciousness for Meta to motorboat a smartwatch that pairs pinch smart glasses than it does to motorboat a brace of smart glasses that require a wristband successful bid to run them.

Prada makes luxury watches arsenic well. So there's ever nan anticipation that Meta could connection a Prada-branded watch that goes pinch nan glasses. 

To beryllium clear, this still leaves plentifulness of questions. Would nan watch beryllium sold separately from nan $800 AR glasses? Would nan watch beryllium a required aliases an optional accessory? Could it besides beryllium utilized to power Meta Quest headsets successful XR? 

ZDNET will beryllium in-person astatine Meta Connect connected September 17 to get nan answers and to spell hands-on pinch immoderate products Meta unveils.