Facebook will launch its first pair of smart glasses next year. The social media giant is working closely with Luxottica, the maker of Ray-Ban, to launch the first glasses. The announcement was made during the recently held Facebook Connect virtual conference, where the company’s also unveiled the next-gen Quest 2 wireless VR headset. After spending time with their [EssilorLuxottica’s] team and visiting their factory, I knew that they were the right partner for us to help bring the best technology together with the best glasses,” Zuckerberg said during the Facebook Connect event. Facebook and Luxottica will make the smart glasses as part of a multi-year partnership. Marketed as a Ray-ban-branded product, the glasses will not have an integrated display but may feature a voice-assistant. The glasses will work by pairing them with a smartphone. That means the smart glasses will work- just like Snap Spectacles or Amazon Echo frames. Facebook isn't willing to share more info about the smart glasses like what they will be called, or how much they might cost. "We will build and release a pair of Ray-Ban branded smart glasses in 2021. They’ll combine innovative technology with fashion-forward style and help people better connect with friends and family," Facebook said in a blog post. Beyond thrilled to finally share a sneak peek of our Facebook partnership with Ray-Ban! Our first smart glasses will launch next year, and that’s just the beginning… The future will be a classic and it's coming in 2021 😎 pic.twitter.com/l9992ZQGoy — Hugo Barra (@hbarra) September 16, 2020 Facebook's partnership with Luxottica is separate from the company's Project Aria research prototype, a pair of AR glasses. The company says it will start testing Aria glasses in public and around its campus starting this month. The Mark Zuckerberg-owned Facebook isn't the only company that sees the future in augmented reality and smart glasses. Google, Apple and other big tech wigs are all reportedly working on a pair of AR glasses.
