Meta’s Smart Glasses Surpass Sales Expectations, EssilorLuxottica Ramps Up Production
In a surprising turn of events, EssilorLuxottica, the manufacturer of Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses, has announced that sales have already reached 2 million pairs since their October 2023 launch. This figure significantly exceeds Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s initial projections of 1 million pairs in 2024 and 2 to 5 million by 2025.
EssilorLuxottica CEO Francesco Milleri highlighted the company’s ambitious plans to scale up production to 10 million Meta glasses annually by the end of 2026. Milleri emphasized the strategic long-term partnership with Meta, describing the glasses as a “shared platform” with the potential for incorporating third-party brands.
The partnership between Meta and EssilorLuxottica has been confirmed through at least 2030, signaling a strong commitment to the future of wearable technology. As part of this collaboration, all Meta glasses are expected to be supported by AI, with potential subscription services on the horizon.
Meta is actively working on expanding its multimodal AI features globally, with new capabilities such as Live AI and live translation currently in testing phases. However, these features are not yet fully market-ready.
To bolster its position in the wearables market, Meta has launched an aggressive marketing campaign, including two Super Bowl ads and a limited edition set of glasses. The company has also hired the former CEO of The RealReal as VP of retail for wearables, indicating a strong push to establish glasses as a primary digital platform.
Looking ahead, reports suggest that Meta is developing glasses with a built-in display, slated for release in 2025. These advanced glasses are expected to be accompanied by a neural wristband for enhanced user interaction and control.
As Meta continues to invest heavily in its smart glasses technology, the company appears poised to challenge major phone manufacturers in the race to dominate the next generation of digital platforms.
