Meta’s partnership with Ray-Ban, eyewear giant EssilorLuxottica’s biggest brand, has been nothing short of successful. The Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses are currently considered the leading model in the smart eyewear space and have officially sold more than two million pairs since their release in 2023. In fact, the Meta smart glasses are doing so well that, according to Counterpoint Research, they single-handedly fueled the global demand for smart glasses shipments by over 210% in 2024.
With these specs being a definite hit with consumers, it’s no surprise that Meta and EssilorLuxottica are embarking on an extended partnership that will involve releasing further wearable products. Under this plan, new products will launch as soon as this year. The first one expected to hit shelves will revolve around a pair of intelligent eyewear produced by Meta and Ray-Ban’s sister brand, Oakley.
Behind the upcoming Meta x Oakley collaboration
Given Oakley’s reputation for releasing the best in sports eyewear and apparel, it’s clear that its upcoming launch with Meta aims to target the brand’s loyal following of athletes. According to Bloomberg (News - Alert) reporter Mark Gurman, the resulting smart glasses will thus be inspired by the most popular Oakley sunglasses. Though the likes of the Holbrook and Radar EV Path are bestsellers, however, Meta will specifically focus on the multi-sport Sphaera model. Created to fit well even with hats and helmets, it leverages the PRIZM lens technology and O Matter frame materials found across Oakley's frames, but uses them to create a semi-rimless, wraparound design that provides both protection and comfort.
However, the Sphaera’s frames are also sturdy enough to accommodate smart glasses technology, which is why Oakley and Meta have decided to place a camera lens right in its center. The specs, which currently carry the code name “Supernova 2” (the Ray-Ban Metas were the original “Supernova”), aim to benefit athletes with tried-and-tested features, including hands-free communication, media capture, music playback, navigation, and AI queries. To differentiate itself from its Ray-Ban predecessor, the SuperNova 2 is also expected to address common issues among more active wearers, including sweat resistance, battery life, and the need for lightweight frames.
How the Supernova 2 slots into EssilorLuxottica and Meta’s long-term release plan
Oakley’s Supernova 2, which is set to hit the market in 2025, may owe its launch date to the strategic role it plays in EssilorLuxottica and Meta’s larger wearables release plan. Here, it will likely serve as a way to show consumers how versatile smart glasses can be and display their usefulness for wearers from all walks of life. In doing so, the eyewear may help Meta cement its lead in the industry for AR and VR headsets, which has been in decline for the past couple of quarters.
The extra time afforded by the Supernova 2 would particularly give Meta the space it needs to successfully build upon the Orion glasses, its first advanced prototype for true AR eyewear. Debuted last September in what’s being called “the next iPhone (News - Alert) moment,” the Orion (also code-named “Hypernova”) has been in development for over a decade. However, it also currently costs over $10,000 to produce, since the only lens material that works for it—silicon carbide—is pricey to manufacture.
As such, Meta pegs 2027 as the Orion’s earliest release date. With the Supernova 2 launching beforehand, the intelligent Oakley frames may help EssilorLuxottica and Meta maintain their positions as smart eyewear industry leaders while the latter’s Reality Labs works to perfect the Orion’s design.
