Two weeks ago, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg discussed the sales prospects of the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses. Initially, the company anticipated selling 1 million pairs in 2024, with the potential to reach 2 million or even 5 million by the end of 2025. Fast forward to now, and the glasses’ producer, EssilorLuxottica, has confirmed that 2 million pairs have already been sold since the launch in October 2023. EssilorLuxottica has ambitious plans, aiming to produce 10 million pairs of these smart glasses annually by 2026.
Francesco Milleri, the CEO and chairman of EssilorLuxottica, stated that eyewear would increasingly become the primary digital platform catering to daily needs. He indicated that the sold figures exclude the earlier Ray-Ban Stories released in 2021. Milleri emphasized the long-term partnership with Meta, envisioning Ray-Ban smart glasses as a shared platform that could incorporate products from third-party brands. Reports have also surfaced indicating that Meta plans to introduce Oakley-branded glasses, aligning with EssilorLuxottica’s extensive brand portfolio.
As production ramps up to meet the ambitious 10 million annual target, Milleri hinted at future AI support and potential subscription services for the glasses. Meanwhile, my colleague Victoria Song recently tested the new Live AI and live translation features for the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses and found them noteworthy, albeit not entirely ready for widespread use. To bolster the success of its smart glasses, Meta is heavily investing through marketing initiatives, including two Super Bowl ads and hiring a former luxury goods executive as its new VP of retail for wearables. However, reaching their target of 10 million glasses per year remains a considerable challenge, especially in comparison to the 200 million phones sold by Samsung and Apple annually.
Additionally, future models of glasses with displays are expected to debut in 2025, potentially paired with a neural wristband for control.
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