The competition in wearable devices is intensifying! Meta plans to add a display to its smart glasses

Meta accelerates its entry into the wearable device field, racing ahead in the next generation of computing platforms.

According to the Financial Times, Meta plans to add a display to its smart glasses to show notifications and responses from the Meta virtual assistant. This upgraded version of the Ray-Ban smart glasses, developed in collaboration with the eyewear group EssilorLuxottica, may be released as early as the second half of 2025.

As competitors like Apple, Google, and Snap ramp up their efforts, Meta is also accelerating its expansion into the wearable device sector. The company's CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, has previously stated that he hopes to position smart glasses as the next generation of computing platforms.

Despite ongoing losses in Meta's Reality Labs division (responsible for manufacturing smart glasses and Quest virtual reality headsets), the Ray-Ban smart glasses have surprisingly gained popularity among consumers.

According to EssilorLuxottica CEO Francesco Milleri, the latest generation product launched in October 2023 surpassed the total sales of the previous generation over two years within just a few months. Market data indicates a 73% increase in the shipment of wearable glasses in 2024.

In mid-December, Meta's Chief Technology Officer Andrew Bosworth stated that 2025 would be "the most important year in the history of Reality Labs."

In September last year, Meta also showcased its augmented reality (AR) glasses prototype, Orion, which has been hailed as a significant breakthrough in the AR glasses field due to its compact design, lightweight frame, and innovative display technology, and is recognized as having ended the failed history set by Google Magic Leap and Microsoft Hololens in this area.

Reports cite informed sources indicating that the enthusiastic response from early testers has led the company to accelerate the development of Orion, with plans to develop the device as a consumer product, although its release may still take several years.

Luke Alvarez, founding partner of Hiro Capital, stated:

"Meta's AI strategy is merging with MR (mixed reality), making the Ray-Ban smart glasses and the Orion project increasingly interesting."

However, some professionals indicate that developing a stylish AR glasses with sufficient battery life, superior performance, and reasonable pricing remains a significant challenge for Meta, and in terms of the supply chain, the silicon carbide lenses used in Orion are currently costly and difficult to produce on a large scale