Facebook has been working on augmented reality glasses for years but now, the company has partnered with Luxottica to make it a reality.
With the help of Luxottica, the parent company of Ray-Ban and other renowned eyewear companies, Facebook is hoping to launch the smart glasses as early as 2023.
Facebook, Luxottica To Develop Smart Glasses
Sources told CNBC that the glasses are codenamed "Orion" within Facebook and it's not just envisioned as an accessory, but an actual replacement for smartphones. With a pair of these smart glasses, users can take calls, see information in a small display, and even livestream what they're seeing to friends and followers on social media.
A separate report from The Information revealed that the partnership of Facebook and Luxottica isn't actually for the ambitious AR glasses, but for a different pair of smart glasses codenamed "Stella." These glasses would allow users to record their surroundings with a tiny camera on the frame of the glasses.
Stella is intended to test whether consumers will buy or use a Facebook product on their faces. It will eventually pave the way for something like Orion, which was initially reported.
Whether or not the two companies are developing Orion or Stella together, Facebook smart glasses are certainly in the works.
According to sources, the product is expected to come with an artificial intelligence voice assistant that the company is also currently developing. A ring device codenamed Agios is also being tested to see if users can effectively input information to the glasses using a motion sensor.
Hundreds of Facebook employees have been working on the technology for these smart glasses, insiders have revealed. However, they've been finding it difficult to make the product small enough to appeal to consumers.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg reportedly instructed staff to prioritize the technology.
Working with Luxottica in creating a good pair of smart glasses is a significant step in Facebook's plan. The parent company of Ray-Ban, Oakley, and other sunglasses brands already have experience with similar technology after partnering with Google for the Google Glass device in 2014.
The Rise Of Augmented Reality Glasses
It's not just Zuckerberg who is convinced that AR glasses will be a significant product in the future. Besides Facebook, other companies are working on their versions of smart glasses.
Snap already has its Spectacle glasses out, which functions in a similar way to Facebook's planned Stella glasses. Microsoft and Magic Leap also have their own HoloLens and Leap One, respectively. Huawei is planning its own pair as well.
Apple is also reportedly working on its augmented reality glasses, a product that's said to have been referenced in the code of iOS 13.
