Meta just revealed its Oakley-branded smart glasses, expanding beyond its successful Ray-Ban partnership into the athletic market. The new glasses, targeting sports enthusiasts who want to record their sessions, will launch at around $360 — about $60 more than the current Ray-Ban models.
The move comes after Meta sold over 2 million pairs of its Ray-Ban smart glasses since their 2023 launch. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been vocal about his ambitions, stating the company plans to eventually sell “billions of AI glasses.” The Oakley variant represents Meta’s first attempt at diversifying its smart eyewear portfolio.
Built for Sports, Not Just Style
The Oakley smart glasses will feature similar hardware to their Ray-Ban counterparts but with enhanced weather resistance for outdoor activities. According to reports, the camera will shift to the center of the frame—a practical adjustment for recording sports like tennis or skiing. All the AI features currently available on Ray-Ban models, including live translation, landmark identification, and music streaming integration, are expected to carry over.
Meta’s partnership with Essilor Luxottica, which owns both Ray-Ban and Oakley among its 150+ brand licenses, makes this expansion relatively straightforward. The same partnership is also bringing Prada into the mix, though no timeline has been announced for those luxury smart glasses.
The India Angle
Meta brought its Ray-Ban smart glasses to India just last month at Rs. 29,900. The Oakley version will likely hit Indian shores at around Rs. 35,000, given typical pricing adjustments. For context, that’s still considerably less than what most people spend on a decent smartphone, making it an interesting proposition for tech-savvy fitness enthusiasts.
The timing is notable. India’s growing fitness culture and increasing appetite for wearable tech make it a prime market for sports-focused smart glasses. Whether Indian consumers will bite at the higher price point remains to be seen.
Racing Against Time
Meta isn’t alone in this space. Google recently announced partnerships with Gentle Monster and Warby Parker for Android XR-powered glasses, while Apple’s smart glasses are rumoured for next year. Meta’s Reality Labs division is reportedly working on “half a dozen” wearable products, including AR glasses codenamed “Hypernova” with a built-in display.
The Oakley launch suggests Meta is moving fast to establish market dominance before the competition heats up. By targeting specific use cases—casual wear with Ray-Ban, sports with Oakley, luxury with Prada—Meta is building a portfolio approach rather than a one-size-fits-all product.
What’s Next
With the Oakley glasses now official and Prada versions in development, Meta is clearly betting big on face-worn computing. The strategy makes sense: different brands for different audiences, all running the same underlying tech. It’s smartphone market segmentation, but for your face.
The real test will be whether consumers see enough value in recording their morning run or identifying landmarks hands-free to justify the purchase. At 2 million units sold, the Ray-Ban glasses have already exceeded many expectations. The Oakley variant will show whether that success was brand-specific or if there’s genuine appetite for smart eyewear across different use cases.
