Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of MetaPlatforms, confirmed a upcoming investment in EssilorLuxottica, a global leader in eyewear. This move, which represents a symbolic participation of 5%, aims to consolidate cooperation long-term partnership between the two companies, already underway in the field of smart glasses. In a recent interview with The Verge, the creator of Facebook said: “It will not be a large investment, but a symbolic one, to demonstrate our confidence in them and in their ability to become a significant technology player.”
Already in recent months there were rumors of a possible agreement between Meta and Essilux, but now, with the investment confirmed, the partnership is preparing to bring new technological evolutions to the sector.
Zuckerberg, that connection between Meta and EssilorLuxottica
Il Meta and EssilorLuxottica's connection is nothing newThe two companies have actively collaborated on the development of Ray-Ban Meta glasses, a product that combines EssilorLuxottica's expertise in lens and frame design with Meta's technological innovation. Zuckerberg has Italian-French company praised, stating: “EssilorLuxottica is not only a world leader in eyewear, but has the potential to become a leading global technology company.”
The CEO of Meta also has compared EssilorLuxottica to Samsung, stating that the group could become the technological engine of Europe, as Samsung has done for South Korea. An ambitious comparison, which underlines the strategic importance of the partnership for both companies.
Shared Goals: Smart Glasses and New Technologies
EssilorLuxottica and Meta share a common vision: the development of new technologies that combine fashion and innovation. The CEO of Meta underlined how the two companies work closely together to create a shared culture, in which EssilorLuxottica's experience in the production of eyewear merges with Meta's expertise in consumer electronics, artificial intelligence and software.
A crucial aspect of the collaboration is theintegration of optical and technological skills. Meta relies on EssilorLuxottica’s expertise in creating lightweight, fashionable lenses, while the Italian-French giant appreciates Meta’s technological know-how. “We collaborate on everything, and we are trying to building a common culture“, Zuckerberg explained. “Over time, we’ve learned to recognize and value each other’s perspectives.”
Meanwhile i Ray-Ban Meta, will continue to evolve. Zuckerberg announced new features for these smart glasses, including the ability to remember images and information and real-time translation between different languages. These improvements make the Ray-Ban Meta increasingly competitive on the market, especially conquering the audience of influencers, who use them to create interactive and innovative content.
According to recent estimates, Meta has already sold about a million pieces of these glasses, proving that the demand for smart wearables continues to grow. Even though Meta has invested heavily in the metaverse, the Ray-Ban Meta has become an unexpected success, helping to solidify the company's position in the wearables industry.
Meta Introduces Orion: The Future of Augmented Reality Glasses
During the conference Goal Connect 2024, Zuckerberg introduced Orion, the first prototype of holographic augmented reality glasses developed by Meta. This device represents a true revolution: the Orion AR are able to superimpose images and texts on the real world, creating an immersive and interactive experience.
The glasses, which They look like a pair of Ray-Bans with thick frames, they use a combination of voice commands, eye tracking and hand movements to interact with the world around them. “Orion is a taste of an exciting future“, said Zuckerberg. Although still in development, these glasses promise to transform the interaction with reality, taking AR to a new level.
Meta Quest 3S: A mixed reality headset
In addition to Orion, Meta also presented the new Quest 3S headset, a mixed reality device that will be available at a competitive price of $299. This headset, which combines the functionality of the previous Quest 2 and Quest 3 models, represents one of the most affordable solutions in the AR/VR device market.
The comparison with the Apple Vision Pro, priced at $3.499, highlights Meta’s approach to making these technologies accessible to a wider audience. The new Quest 3S is designed not just for gamers, but also for professional users, thanks to its mixed reality capabilities and new integrated artificial intelligence features.
Meta, more and more Artificial Intelligence
Another great novelty of Meta Connect was theArtificial Intelligence Integration into Ray-Ban Devices and Quest Visors. Meta has announced a collaboration with famous actors like Awkwafina, John Cena, and Judi Dench, who will lend their voices to the company's AI assistant. This move represents another step forward in personalizing the user experience.
Users will be able to interact with these voice assistants, who will be able to answer questions, provide recommendations and even remind them of appointments. Zuckerberg said that Meta's goal is to make artificial intelligence the main voice assistant by the end of the year, aiming to overcome competition from other platforms such as ChatGPT.
