Latest news with #Ray-BanStories
India Today
2 days ago
- India Today
Samsung tipped to launch smart AI glasses with camera, mic, and speakers but no screen
Samsung is rumoured to be preparing yet another foray into wearable tech, with a fresh pair of smart glasses tipped to arrive next year. But don't mistake them for Samsung's upcoming Android XR headset or Google's own smart eyewear. According to Korean outlet SEDaily, this mysterious new model will be a completely separate venture, leaning more towards Meta's Ray-Ban Stories than a full-blown augmented reality device. advertisementThe rumours and leaks suggest these glasses will come equipped with a speaker, microphone and camera, but notably, no display. That means they're less about overlaying virtual information in your field of vision and more about discreetly capturing moments, taking calls and perhaps chatting with an onboard this sounds familiar, it's because these specs were first mentioned last year, when reports surfaced about Samsung producing a Meta-like model. Back then, a late-2025 release was predicted, clearly a date that has slipped. Still, the idea hasn't been shelved, and sources say the project is once again gathering momentum. Meanwhile, Samsung and Google have been jointly developing a completely different pair of smart glasses, ones that do include a display. These Android XR-powered specs would allow wearers to see virtual elements overlaid onto the real world—think smartwatch meets spectacles—making them closer to a mixed-reality device than a wearable sits alongside 'Project Moohan,' Samsung's Android XR headset, which promises an enclosed, VR-style experience. It's expected to rival Apple's Vision Pro, with Android XR at the helm and Google's Gemini AI playing latest report claims Samsung's Meta-style smart glasses could see the light of day towards the end of 2025, well after the likely debut of its XR headset. But given the number of delays plaguing the sector, any dates should be taken with a healthy pinch of exactly these new glasses will operate remains a mystery. However, it wouldn't be far-fetched to imagine them running a stripped-back version of Android XR, offering integration with Gemini and possibly a Live View mode via the camera. Without a screen, their feature set could resemble that of Google's Pixel Buds with Gemini, providing AI-driven assistance and audio feedback rather than immersive Samsung, Google, Apple, and even Xiaomi vying for a slice of the smart-glasses pie, the market is starting to heat up. Samsung's two-pronged approach, one model aimed at content capture and audio interaction, the other at immersive XR experiences, could position the company uniquely, catering to both casual users and tech enthusiasts hungry for high-end the vague release window, details on pricing or technical specifications are scarce. Still, expect more concrete information to emerge early next year, especially if Samsung intends to tease the device ahead of a formal unveiling. Until then, fans will be left wondering whether Samsung's latest eyewear will be a stylish everyday gadget, a hands-free AI companion, or simply another ambitious experiment destined to join the company's growing list of tech curiosities.- Ends
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses review: Ideal AI wearable, but sun's still too bright
Belatedly would be an understatement. Meta and Ray-Ban took their own sweet time to launch the smart artificial intelligence (AI) glasses in the country. The competitive landscape at this point is perplexingly barren, and I am quite certain the decision-makers at both these companies wouldn't have imagined it to be such plain sailing—even after a significant passage of time. Nevertheless, the collective of the best-known sunglasses manufacturer and a tech company that is only too keen to invest heavily into refining AI can only really go one way: towards success. Ray-Ban and Meta launch AI-powered smart glasses in India with camera, voice assistant, and social media features; prices start at ₹ 29,900 (Vishal Mathur / HT Photo) The difficulty in getting AI glasses right—though it may seem easy with a mix of hardware, a camera, voice, and an AI responding to queries—is real. Not to say the ecosystem has been stagnant, because there have been efforts (such as Brilliant Labs' and XREAL smart glasses), but none have managed the scale that Ray-Ban and Meta have, following Ray-Ban Stories from 2021. In an India context too, the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses story took its own sweet time. Not exactly light on the pocket either, with prices starting at ₹29,900 and going up to ₹35,700 depending on the variant you select (transitions yes or no is an important part of that decision). The Meta AI glasses, as they're also often called, can essentially do a few things very well for a typical user. If one or more of these features are right up your alley, you may find this expenditure worth the tech adoption. Also Read: Meta AI's experimental smart glasses: Advanced sensors let them see, hear, and even sense how you feel First is the ability to take photos and videos, with the 12-megapixel cameras combining to give you visuals that, at first glance in terms of quality and colours, don't look like they aren't from a smartphone—the only hint being the ultra-wide perspective, which may actually work well for quite a few photography scenarios. The camera quality of the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, considering this is theoretically first generation, is significantly better than expected. And that includes low-light photos. Overall, you'll be impressed by the detailing, colour richness, and brightness of photos, and for videos, the smoothness of frames. The only limitation you may notice in some photos is the inability to really frame a shot or zoom in. The latter is manageable with editing later. The framing is also a bit of a hit and miss initially, but soon enough, you'll get a fair idea of the point-of-view field of vision, and it becomes less of a gamble. The Ray-Ban Meta cameras, for some reason, make it seem as if you were standing further back from a subject when taking a shot than you actually were. If instant photography is the primary reason you'd splurge on the Ray-Ban Meta, this may not be the complete set. But for video, with a maximum limit of 3 minutes per recording, it's more than ideal for capturing a 360-degree view of a scenic landscape or a highlight from an event. Alo Read: Ray-Ban Meta glasses launched in India: Check features, price, and availability You can broadcast live video directly to Facebook (if your friends still hang around there, that is) or Instagram, sharing your perspective in real-time with friends and followers. After all, the Ray-Ban Meta is meant to plug into the social aspect—and it does, with the 3:4 aspect ratio. That said, it's perplexing that despite a very apparent social media focus, these glasses can connect well with WhatsApp, Messenger, Facebook, and Instagram—but not Threads yet. For Facebook and Instagram, it can post to your story, while the WhatsApp connection is useful for replying to messages using Meta AI and voice. And that neatly leads me to the point about the personal AI assistant. Beyond 'Hey Meta, take a photo' and 'Hey Meta, record a video,' you'll find a proper assistant who can answer your questions, identify objects you're looking at, pull information on landmarks or places in your field of view, or translate text from a different language. For travellers and those who are outdoors often, this feature set simply works. Voice commands seem to work fairly well, even with ambient noise like wind. Meta AI is smarter than you may expect, and for most real-world queries, I'd say it's at par with Google Gemini or OpenAI's ChatGPT—if not better. You may be wondering about battery life, and that's where things inevitably get interesting. The charging case, which is essentially the carry case, is more useful than ever. A three-minute video recording drains about 5% battery, while music streaming for 5 minutes takes away close to 3%. Wear it normally and click a few photos of your meal, and you'll use about 10% per hour for the convenience of Meta AI in earshot. Also Read: Meta Ray-Ban AI smart glasses launching in India soon: Details The main question, saved for last—how well do they do the primary job of blocking the harsh afternoon sun in the middle of summer? The reality is, they aren't about that at all. In fact, my regular Ray-Bans and Oakleys (which also cost less) do a much better job. The Ray-Ban Meta transition lens doesn't dim ambient light as much as some of you may prefer. In that respect, it becomes clear that while leaving a few cards on the table with its core transition lens capability, the Ray-Ban Meta is ideally focused on a wider sense of purpose—a camera, an AI wearable, and a voice-based message response mechanism, for you to wear every day. Whether it is worth that much monetary outlay is a question I cannot answer for you. (Vishal Mathur is technology editor for Hindustan Times. When not making sense of technology, he often searches for an elusive analog space in a digital world.)
Straits Times
21-06-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Meta launches $513 Oakley AI glasses with 3K video recording
The display-free Oakley glasses are one component of the overall Meta AI hardware strategy. PHOTO: META Meta Platforms Inc. is going up-market with its surprise hit smart glasses, rolling out new models with Oakley that are aimed at athletes and include improved video recording. The company on June 20 launched new models based on Oakley's HSTN design, marking the company's first expansion away from Ray-Ban for its display-free glasses. Like the original models, the Oakley versions can make and take phone calls, play music, take pictures and video and use Meta's artificial intelligence to answer questions about the surrounding environment. The new versions, which start at US$399 (S$513) and go up to US$499 for a limited edition model with gold-colored accents, include about double the battery life, video-recording at 3K resolution and water resistance. 'We are increasingly seeing performance use cases with the Ray-Bans like people wearing them on roller coasters, cycling and being around water, so we're trying to lean into that,' says Mr Alex Himel, the company's vice-president in charge of wearables, in an interview. Arriving at its second glasses brand was far from a sure thing. Meta's first glasses, the Ray-Ban Stories, flopped in 2021. But its follow-up version in 2023 was a massive success, giving the social networking giant a real potential hardware stronghold in the artificial intelligence race. 'It was crazy. Popularity caught us by surprise a bit,' Mr Himel said. The Ray-Bans were 'going to be the last display-less pair of glasses. We said we'll take two swings at it, and if it doesn't work we'll go all-in on augmented reality'. Instead, beyond the latest Oakley model, the company has a multi-year road map for the display-less category and is planning a follow-up pair of Oakley glasses based on the Sphera design for later in 2025 , according to people with knowledge of the matter. That pair will be aimed at cyclists and have a centred camera. The model on June 20 has a camera positioned in the upper corner like the Ray-Ban version. The display-free glasses are one component of the overall Meta AI hardware strategy. The company is planning to introduce higher-end glasses with a display to view notifications and the camera view finder later in 202 5, Bloomberg News has reported. In 2027, it aims to roll out its first true augmented reality glasses, which will blend digital apps with the real world. Meta's form-factor has caught on, with several other technology companies working on competitors. Apple Inc. is planning to introduce its first glasses product at the end of 2026, Bloomberg News has reported. That device will operate similarly to the Meta product but better synchronise with the rest of the Apple ecosystem. Inc. also sells glasses, but their current models lack cameras. Mr Himel, who said Meta has sold millions of glasses and has a 'nice, increasing multiple' of purchases on a year-over-year basis each week, attributed the increased popularity to the Ray-Bans improving across a large number of 'small things.' He said the audio quality and microphones started to surpass standalone earbuds, while the camera and AI quality also improved. Still, Mr Himel said battery life remains the 'number one complaint' about the Ray-Ban versions. The new Oakley models can run for 8 hours on a single charge, with the charging case holding 48 hours of juice. 'You should expect a 40 per cent bump with these' he says, attributing the improvement to new battery chemistry and software optimisations – not larger battery packs. Like Ray-Ban, Oakley is owned by EssilorLuxottica SA, which calls Oakley its second most popular brand after Ray-Ban. Mr Himel said Meta will roll out new brands under the EssilorLuxottica portfolio 'as fast as we can. 'We're going to have to move very quickly because in the world of fashion, stuff moves very quickly,' he says. 'The stuff that is a hit right now might not be a year from now. We need to be fast to hit all the brands that we'd like to.' The first Oakley model, becoming available for pre-order on July 11, will be the US$499 limited edition pair. The US$399 versions – which come in grey, black, brown and clear colors – will be released in the coming months. There will be versions with clear, transition and polarised lenses. Like with the Ray-Bans, users can swap the lenses for prescription optics. The glasses will be available in the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, France, Italy, Spain, Austria, Belgium, Australia, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Denmark, according to Meta. BLOOMBERG Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Los Angeles Times
20-06-2025
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
Meta launches $399 Oakley AI Glasses with 3K video recording
Meta Platforms Inc. is going up-market with its surprise hit smart glasses, rolling out new models with Oakley that are aimed at athletes and include improved video recording. The company on Friday launched new models based on Oakley's HSTN design, marking the company's first expansion away from Ray-Ban for its display-free glasses. Like the original models, the Oakley versions can make and take phone calls, play music, take pictures and video and use Meta's artificial intelligence to answer questions about the surrounding environment. The new versions, which start at $399 and go up to $499 for a limited edition model with gold-colored accents, include about double the battery life, video-recording at 3K resolution and water resistance. 'We are increasingly seeing performance use cases with the Ray-Bans like people wearing them on roller coasters, cycling and being around water, so we're trying to lean into that,' says Alex Himel, the company's vice president in charge of wearables, in an interview. Arriving at its second glasses brand was far from a sure thing. Meta's first glasses, the Ray-Ban Stories, flopped in 2021. But its follow-up version in 2023 was a massive success, giving the social networking giant a real potential hardware stronghold in the artificial intelligence race. 'It was crazy. Popularity caught us by surprise a bit,' Himel said. The Ray-Bans were 'going to be the last display-less pair of glasses. We said we'll take two swings at it, and if it doesn't work we'll go all-in on augmented reality.' Instead, beyond the latest Oakley model, the company has a multi-year road map for the display-less category and is planning a follow-up pair of Oakley glasses based on the Sphera design for later this year, according to people with knowledge of the matter. That pair will be aimed at cyclists and have a centered camera. Friday's model has a camera positioned in the upper corner like the Ray-Ban version. The display-free glasses are one component of the overall Meta AI hardware strategy. The company is planning to introduce higher-end glasses with a display to view notifications and the camera view finder later this year, Bloomberg News has reported. In 2027, it aims to roll out its first true augmented reality glasses, which will blend digital apps with the real world. Meta's form-factor has caught on, with several other technology companies working on competitors. Apple Inc. is planning to introduce its first glasses product at the end of 2026, Bloomberg News has reported. That device will operate similarly to the Meta product but better synchronize with the rest of the Apple ecosystem. Inc. also sells glasses, but their current models lack cameras. Himel, who said Meta has sold millions of glasses and has a 'nice, increasing multiple' of purchases on a year-over-year basis each week, attributed the increased popularity to the Ray-Bans improving across a large number of 'small things.' He said the audio quality and microphones started to surpass standalone earbuds, while the camera and AI quality also improved. Still, Himel said battery life remains the 'number one complaint' about the Ray-Ban versions. The new Oakley models can run for 8 hours on a single charge, with the charging case holding 48 hours of juice. 'You should expect a 40% bump with these' he says, attributing the improvement to new battery chemistry and software optimizations — not larger battery packs. Like Ray-Ban, Oakley is owned by EssilorLuxottica SA, which calls Oakley its second most popular brand after Ray-Ban. Himel said Meta will roll out new brands under the EssilorLuxottica portfolio 'as fast as we can. 'We're going to have to move very quickly because in the world of fashion, stuff moves very quickly,' he says. 'The stuff that is a hit right now might not be a year from now. We need to be fast to hit all the brands that we'd like to.' The first Oakley model, becoming available for pre-order on July 11, will be the $499 limited edition pair. The $399 versions — which come in grey, black, brown and clear colors — will be released in the coming months. There will be versions with clear, transition and polarized lenses. Like with the Ray-Bans, users can swap the lenses for prescription optics. The glasses will be available in the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, France, Italy, Spain, Austria, Belgium, Australia, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Denmark, according to Meta. (Updated with availability of new smart glasses in several countries. A previous version corrected the name of Meta executive Alex Himel.) Gurman writes for Bloomberg.
India Today
17-06-2025
- India Today
Mark Zuckerberg teases major smart glasses announcement for June 20, what is coming?
Meta is at it again. It seems like that is company is preparing for another big play in the smart glasses space — this time with Oakley. The announcement was teased through a new Instagram account named '@oakleymeta', and the buzz only picked up steam after Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Oakley, and even Instagram's official handle reposted the teaser video. Though it doesn't reveal much, the caption, which says, 'The next evolution is coming on June 20', is enough to spark speculation. Will it be sport-focused glasses? Is there a new design twist when compared to Meta's previous attempts at smart glasses? We'll know soon collaboration, which looks like a shift from style to sport, will mark Meta's third outing with eyewear giant EssilorLuxottica — the company that owns both Oakley and Ray-Ban. Unlike the previous Ray-Ban launches that leaned more towards fashion and everyday utility, the upcoming Oakley Meta glasses are rumoured to be more performance-driven, possibly aimed at athletes, cyclists and fitness earlier partnership with Ray-Ban gave us the Ray-Ban Stories in 2021, followed by the improved Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses in 2023. The latter was launched in India in 2025 at a starting price of Rs 29,900, offering features like Meta AI voice commands, real-time language translation, WhatsApp support, and even built-in cameras. The glasses paired with the Meta AI app, giving users the ability to edit photos, revisit interactions, and more — all hands-free. Though handy, the glasses were more about light AI and media use, not exactly made for running, cycling or intense outdoor activity. With Oakley, that could The rumoured Oakley x Meta smart glasses are codenamed Supernova 2 and are inspired by Oakley's Sphaera — sports sunglasses popular among multisport users. A possible design change could see the built-in camera move from the edge of the frame (seen on the Ray-Ban Meta glasses) to the centre, which could help with better point-of-view footage, especially when used during activities like cycling or there's still a big question for Indian users: is it coming here?As of now, there's no official word on Indian availability. While the Ray-Ban Meta glasses did launch in India, they came much later than in the US and Europe. Given the growing interest in wearables and AI-powered devices in the country, it wouldn't be surprising if the Oakley Meta glasses make it here eventually — just maybe not right now, all eyes are on June 20. We'll be keeping a close eye on Meta for the full reveal, including the specs, pricing and all the other details.
