Meta's First ‘Real' Smart Glasses Have One Huge Problem
Sales of Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses have been surprisingly high, keeping even its waning Quest mixed reality headset afloat. Meta is rumored to be on the precipice of launching its first-ever pair of 'real' smart glasses, which is to say glasses with an actual display in them. And naturally, more than a decade removed from Google Glass, the rhetoric around Meta's glasses (codenamed Hypernova) couldn't be more disparate from smart glasses of yore. People are excited; they're watching; even Apple is rumored to be looking at the field as a potential new frontier. So, this is all money in the bank for Meta, right? Maybe, but I wouldn't count those shiny new metaverse dollars just yet.
As promising as Meta's push into smart glasses might be, there's one quirk with Hypernova that I can't seem to get off my mind. It's not the glasses themselves, necessarily, but the rumored 'neural wristband' that reportedly comes with them. Let me backtrack for a moment for those that haven't been keeping up; as I mentioned previously, Meta's next smart glasses will most likely have a display. If they have a screen, then they're going to need a way for people to control things on said display, including 'mini apps,' which are stripped-down versions of apps that can run on glasses and are a capability rumored by Bloomberg. There are a few ways you could go about controlling a pair of smart glasses with apps, but Meta's approach is allegedly a 'neural wristband,' which is a wearable that reads the electrical signals in your arm for finger- and hand-based inputs. This is where the weirdness comes in.
On one hand (or wrist, I guess), a wristband that reads the signals sent through your brain and into your hand is objectively kind of awesome. Like, damn, that's some future shit if I've ever seen it. On the other, it's a big liability at best. As useful as a wristband like that may be, asking people to strap on a wearable to use their smart glasses properly is a tall order. My guess is most people paying $800 (the rumored price of Hypernova) for a futuristic pair of smart glasses will want an all-in-one package. It's not a big deal on paper to remember to strap your wristband on, but what if it needs a charge? What if you don't like wearing stuff on your wrist or arm? Or—and this is what I think is arguably the biggest problem—what if you don't like how it looks?
One of the biggest problems with Google Glass, as I mentioned before, is that you looked like you were wearing a gadget when you had it on. So much so that anyone who dared slide them onto their face was dubbed a 'glasshole.' It was Google Glass's noticeable camera module and display prism that turned it into a pariah and prevented what could have been a fruitful category of device from growing past an infancy stage. It's not all about looks, obviously—2013 was also a very different time when it came to personal privacy, a concept that has been severely eroded as the years have gone on. But I think there's a reason Meta's very much glasses-presenting Ray-Bans, which do almost everything Google Glass did and more, have caught on, and presentation is a major part of that.
But hey, things are definitely different now, and maybe the same can be said for what people are willing to wear on their bodies or not. All I know is that it seems like a lot of what could make Hypernova useful or special comes down to a wearable, and while smart glasses might be a semi-proven category, wristbands are not. Google Glass might be long dead, but just because those mistakes are in the rearview doesn't mean they can't be made again.
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I am pleased with our results, and we will continue to be agile and opportunistic throughout the remainder of the year as we aim to deliver a superior experience for our loyal Newegg customers." Newegg Interim Chief Financial Officer Christina Ching added, "In the first half of 2025, Newegg demonstrated significant growth driven by robust sales of PC components, particularly boosted by positive momentum from the new GPU and CPU product launches. This strong consumer demand led to a 14% year-over-year increase in GMV and a 13% rise in net sales. Along with SG&A expense reductions following various strategic cost optimization measures throughout 2024 and 2025, our adjusted EBITDA improved substantially to $11.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2025, up from a $7.3 million loss for the same period in 2024. We have also maintained focus on our cash balance and working capital. 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Wire & Cable Market worth $266.17 billion by 2029 at 5.8%, says MarketsandMarkets™
Delray Beach, FL, Aug. 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In terms of value, the Wire & Cable Market is estimated at USD 201.04 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 266.17 billion by 2029, at a CAGR of 5.8%, as per the recent study by MarketsandMarkets™. There are various factors due to which the demand for wire & cable will grow in the coming years. Firstly, the growing renewable energy sector is a major driver of the wire & cable market. Countries across the globe are increasing their renewable energy production by installing grid technology and initiating offshore as well as onshore wind projects. These projects are generating huge revenues for wire and cable manufacturers especially since there is an increased demand for submarine cables due to offshore projects. Additionally, countries worldwide are investing heavily and providing subsidies to boost EV sales, which is further necessitating the need for more EV charging points. This is significantly driving the need for specialized EV cables. Construction, Telecommunication, Energy & Power, Automotive, and Oil & Gas industries are generating significant demand for wire and cables. Download PDF Brochure: Browse in-depth TOC on 'Wire & Cable Market' 175 - Market Data Tables 71 – Figures 258 - Pages List of Key Players in Wire & Cable Market: Prysmian (Italy), Belden Inc. (US), Fujikura Ltd. (Japan), Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd (Japan), Leoni Ag (Germany), Nexans (France), Emerson Electric Co. (US), Hellenic Cables (Greece), KEI Industries (India), Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. (Japan), NKT A/S (Denmark), Finolex Cables Ltd (India), Helukabel (Germany) Drivers, Opportunities and Challenges in Wire & Cable Market: Drivers: Rising demand for cables from renewable energy sector Restraint: Fluctuating raw material prices. Opportunity: Surge in demand for cables in EV infrastructure. Challenge: Enhancing insulation durability. Get Sample Pages: Key Findings of the Study: By 2029, Wire & Cable market is expected to grow moderately in terms of value. Underground cables dominate the global market in 2023, in terms of value. Asia Pacific region is expected to account for the largest market share in 2023. Based on Installation, the wire & cable market is divided into three types namely, overhead, underground, and submarine. The underground installation has the maximum demand in the wires & cables market. This is because human tends to require greater reliability and visibility in Urban areas which has also boosted the trend. There are many advantages of underground cables over overhead installation for instance they are not affected by weather conditions, they are less likely to be affected by an accident, or a falling tree and they are less visible and thus are not disrupting the aesthetic view of an area. Also, installations located underground are less exposed to interference and acts of vandalism, and, therefore, suitable for dense neighbourhoods and important connections. The market share of underground solutions will also continue to increase in the future as cities grow and develop, in general, requiring various solutions to fit modern society's needs. Based on product type, the wire & cable market is divided into five types namely, electronic wires, power cables, control & instrumentation cables, communication cables, and flexible & specialty cables. The electronic wires dominate the market with the highest market share and also is expected to be the fastest-growing type of product. Electronic wires have immense application various electronic devices including smartphones, computers, and other consumer electronic equipment. Thus, with the growing proliferation of these electronic devices, there is an expected growth in the demand of electronic wires. Get Customization on this Report: Based on material type, the wire & cable market is divided based on metal and polymer. The metal is an irreplaceable part of the wire and cables and thus dominates the material segment of the wire & cable market. Metals include copper and aluminium which have excellent electrical conductivity properties. Copper is used for high-voltage power transmission and is on the expensive side whereas aluminium is used in lightweight and cost-effective wires and cables. Metals comprise the major part of wire and cables, whereas the polymer is mainly used to sheath them to protect from external damage. Based on Region, Currently, the wire and cable demand in Asia-Pacific is highest due to increased urbanization, development, and growth in the economy. With ongoing development in the electrical systems of the countries in this region accompanied by investment into the modernization of these systems, the role of high quality and performing wiring solutions assumes centre stage. This trend is attributed by mega structures like Smart cities, transportation systems, renewable energy platforms among others. Also, a growing manufacturing industry in the region and an increasing introduction of new technologies in the telecommunication and data centre industry increases the demand for the wire and cable system. The increasing levels of industrialization and urbanization in the Asia-Pacific region with persevered demands for higher connectivity and efficiency in energy usage would keep the region in the wire and cable market as a key growth factor Browse Adjacent Markets Advanced Materials Market Research Reports Related Reports: Electrical Steel Market Metal Stamping Market Coated Fabrics Market Isobutyric Acid Market Marine Lubricants Market CONTACT: About MarketsandMarkets™ MarketsandMarkets™ has been recognized as one of America's Best Management Consulting Firms by Forbes, as per their recent report. MarketsandMarkets™ is a blue ocean alternative in growth consulting and program management, leveraging a man-machine offering to drive supernormal growth for progressive organizations in the B2B space. With the widest lens on emerging technologies, we are proficient in co-creating supernormal growth for clients across the globe. Today, 80% of Fortune 2000 companies rely on MarketsandMarkets, and 90 of the top 100 companies in each sector trust us to accelerate their revenue growth. With a global clientele of over 13,000 organizations, we help businesses thrive in a disruptive ecosystem. The B2B economy is witnessing the emergence of $25 trillion in new revenue streams that are replacing existing ones within this decade. We work with clients on growth programs, helping them monetize this $25 trillion opportunity through our service lines – TAM Expansion, Go-to-Market (GTM) Strategy to Execution, Market Share Gain, Account Enablement, and Thought Leadership Marketing. Built on the 'GIVE Growth' principle, we collaborate with several Forbes Global 2000 B2B companies to keep them future-ready. Our insights and strategies are powered by industry experts, cutting-edge AI, and our Market Intelligence Cloud, KnowledgeStore™, which integrates research and provides ecosystem-wide visibility into revenue shifts. To find out more, visit or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. Contact: Mr. Rohan Salgarkar MarketsandMarkets™ INC. 1615 South Congress Ave. Suite 103, Delray Beach, FL 33445, USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: sales@ Visit Our Website:
