Even their name hearkens back to the social story format that Snap kicked off and was later copied by Facebook, Instagram and pretty much every other social media outfit. But at this point, I don’t think Facebook cares if everyone calls them copycats if it ultimately leads to more engagement. Ray-Ban’s most popular sunglasses are the Wayfarer and Aviator models. During the 1950s, Ray-Ban released the Echelon , which had a squarer frame. In 1965, the Olympian I and II were introduced; they became popular when Peter Fonda wore them in the 1969 film Easy Rider.
Facebook, meanwhile, has been working on these Ray-Bans since at least 2019, and it almost certainly will take a swing at AR glasses in the future. But in terms of both commercial availability and advanced features, the new Facebook Ray-Bans are years behind Snap’s glasses. It’s the ray ban caravan “effortless” part that will raise eyebrows behind the plastic frames. Facebook has made a pair of smart glasses—even if they’re not true AR glasses—that people might actually want to wear. With this product, Facebook is claiming the face as real estate for its own technology.
I’m a not-at-all covert technology columnist reviewing a new pair of camera-equipped sunglasses from Ray-Ban and Facebook , and considering the privacy implications of such an innovation. The glasses also aren’t water-resistant, so you’ll need to be careful if you’re wearing them on the beach or by the pool. It is the essential source of information and ideas that make sense of a world in constant transformation. The WIRED conversation illuminates how technology is changing every aspect of our lives—from culture to business, science to design. The breakthroughs and innovations that we uncover lead to new ways of thinking, new connections, and new industries. Facebook’s slowness may have been intentional; Andrew Bosworth, who runs the company’s Reality Labs, has said multiple times that the company doesn’t want to “surprise” people as it introduces new technologies.
Ray-Ban Stories smart glasses weigh only about five grams more than the original Wayfarer design — that’s equivalent to the weight of about a teaspoon of salt. Sign up to receive product news and exclusive offers from Sunglass Hut. We’re all members of Vision Source, a family of over 3,400 locally owned practices collaborating to provide quality professional eye care and support the long-term success of independent optometry. They also come in a range of different colours and lens combinations that mean you can get access to the smartest glasses you’ll ever own in whatever design you’d like.
(Facebook also has roughly 2 billion more users than Snapchat.) And Facebook can take advantage of the global supply chain and retail outlet infrastructure of Luxottica, Ray-Ban’s parent company. This means the product won’t have to roll out slowly—even worldwide. Users will be able to control the glasses with a couple physical buttons including a “capture” button to record media and an on-off switch. A touch pad on the right arm of the glasses will allow users to perform functions like swiping to adjust the volume or answering a phone call.