EssilorLuxottica and Meta Unveil Next-Gen AI Glasses at Meta Connect

EssilorLuxottica and Meta Platforms, Inc. have taken another step forward in their strategic partnership, unveiling three new AI-enabled eyewear products at this year’s Meta Connect. The launches build on the global success of the Ray-Ban Meta range and introduce advanced capabilities tailored to both lifestyle and athletic markets.

Following the debut of the Oakley Meta HSTN earlier this year, the two companies revealed Oakley Meta Vanguard, a new line of AI glasses designed for endurance and performance.

Positioned as ushering in the era of “Athletic Intelligence”, the Oakley Meta Vanguard is equipped with Oakley’s PRIZM lenses, a 12MP ultra-wide camera (122° field of view), high-decibel open-ear speakers, and advanced wind noise reduction. The glasses are also optimised for comfort during extended workouts and engineered to withstand harsh outdoor conditions with IP67 water and dust resistance.

Integration with Garmin and Strava offers athletes real-time performance insights, while battery life extends up to nine hours of typical mixed use, supplemented by an additional 36 hours via a charging case. Swappable PRIZM lenses allow wearers to adapt to different lighting conditions. Pre-orders are available now from Oakley.com and Meta.com at US$499 (approx. AU$750).

The partnership also introduced Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2), which features up to eight hours of battery life, a 12MP ultra-wide camera, and 3K ultra-HD video capture. The range now includes more styles and colours, all of which can be customised with prescription or Transitions Gen S lenses.

Meta also previewed Conversation Focus, an upcoming AI-powered feature that enhances face-to-face interactions by amplifying the voice of a conversation partner and minimising background noise. Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) is available immediately via Ray-Ban.com and Meta.com, starting at US$379 (approx. AU$570).

The most future-focused release, Meta Ray-Ban Display, introduces the first AI glasses with a built-in, full-colour display in the right lens. The display provides discreet, real-time information, including message notifications, photo previews, video calls, and step-by-step instructions.

The device pairs with the Meta Neural Band, an EMG wristband that allows users to control the glasses through subtle hand and finger movements. Each pair comes fitted with Transitions lenses and can be ordered with prescription options.

Meta Ray-Ban Display will be available in select U.S. stores from 30 September, priced from US$799 (approx. AU$1200). Market expansion to Canada, France, Italy and the UK is scheduled for early 2026.

“This latest innovation to come from our deep relationship with Meta reveals the next horizon. Having overcome the barriers to consumer adoption by fitting the most advanced tech into a beautiful pair of frames seamlessly and then delivering them to consumers through a global retail network, we set our sights on something bigger. Meta Ray-Ban Display showcases the best of our two companies in terms of our lens technology and wearables design expertise, and Meta’s leadership in AI and software architecture, and it completely redefines what it means to be ‘hands-free’. These, along with the next generation of Ray-Ban Meta and Oakley Meta glasses, will take us all to new places and levels of performance in style. We’re incredibly proud to be pioneers with Meta in this space, with a long runway of innovation still ahead,” commented Francesco Milleri, Chairman and CEO at EssilorLuxottica.

"At Meta Connect, we’re introducing our most advanced lineup of AI glasses, designed for every lifestyle. This includes Meta Ray-Ban Display, our most impressive glasses yet, showcasing years of innovation in computer vision and AI. I’m proud of our partnership with EssilorLuxottica. Together, we’ve defined AI glasses as a new technology category and brought the first mainstream frames to the market. I believe glasses will be the ideal form factor to eventually deliver superintelligence, and I’m excited for what’s next," said Mark Zuckerberg, Founder and CEO of Meta.

EssilorLuxottica and Meta first partnered on the Ray-Ban Stories line in 2021, which has since evolved into one of the leading AI eyewear platforms worldwide. With the latest launches, the companies are signalling their intent to grow this category further by combining cutting-edge hardware with established eyewear brands and sports performance technology.