Discover the Future of Smart Glasses: Trends, Innovations, and What’s Next!

There’s a good reason for optimism at Meta. The company is leading the way with its Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, having sold over 1 million units last year. They’re teaming up with Oakley to bring out new styles, which is exciting for fans of both brands. While the current version of the glasses lacks digital displays, a new model featuring a tiny display is expected to launch this year, according to the Financial Times. Furthermore, Meta is working on a lighter model of its Orion AR glasses, named Artemis, which may hit the market by 2027, as Bloomberg reports.

With display features, Ray-Ban Meta glasses will become direct competitors to Google’s upcoming Android XR project, which has an in-lens display. The prototypes Google showed off recently included its AI chatbot, Gemini. Like the Android OS for smartphones, Google plans to allow other companies to use its XR system on their smart glasses.

This competition to deliver AI-powered eyewear products is heating up. Both Zuckerberg and Google co-founder Sergey Brin see smart glasses as the ideal device for AI integration. “Google and Meta are in a strong position,” says expert Rosenberg. “It’s not just about enhancing reality; it’s about enhancing thought.”

Smart glasses are easier to make but tricky to perfect

At the CES event in Las Vegas, Michael Miller of the AR company Niantic noticed many smaller companies creating their own smart glasses. Brands like DreamSmart and Thunderbird show that this market is growing beyond just big tech. However, developing a prototype can still cost millions, which is a significant investment for new players.

“The barriers to get started are lower,” Miller explains. “But making a successful consumer product is still challenging. Meta has an advantage with the Ray-Ban brand; new names struggle to gain traction.” He suggests that companies in places like Japan and China may partner with well-known eyewear brands to build a customer base before expanding globally.

More developers will create for smart glass

Smaller companies will be crucial in designing new smart glasses experiences. Their effectiveness relies heavily on connecting to smartphones and encouraging third-party developers to create useful apps. The more functions available, the more likely people will want to buy the glasses.

Developers are waiting for Meta’s software development kit (SDK) to build new functions for the Ray-Ban Meta glasses. While companies are cautious about third parties accessing built-in cameras, this limits innovative possibilities, according to Paul Tennent, an associate professor in the Mixed Reality Lab at the University of Nottingham. “Google has historically been more open,” he notes.

Other brands like Snap and Vuzix have made their SDKs available, allowing developers to create new experiences. Patrick Chwalek from MIT Media Lab mentions that Vuzix is gaining popularity in academic and corporate settings for this reason. Most new apps focus on navigation and translations, suggesting exciting developments in this space will continue in the coming years.