Facebook, Ray-Ban launch smart glasses. Will people wear them?
Seven years after the ill-fated Google Glass, and five years after Snap rolled out Spectacles, another tech giant is trying its hand at internet-connected smart glasses, hoping that this time around things might be different and people will actually wear them.
Facebook is putting its tech in RayBans in a partnership with the European company EssilorLuxottica. On Thursday, the companies unveiled Ray-Ban Stories – connected eyewear with built-in speakers and a microphone for making calls, a companion app that isn’t Facebook, and a charging case. The spectacles cost $299 and are available in the U.S., U.K., Canada, Italy, Ireland and Australia.
Facebook signed a multi-year partnership with EssilorLuxottica. The glasses are the first version of what’s likely to be more wearable gadgets as the social media giant looks for platforms beyond smartphones.