Facebook is reportedly entering the smartglasses market with its version of augmented reality eyeware — and it thinks they’ll be good enough to replace your phone.
According to CNBC, Facebook has partnered with Luxottica, Ray-Ban’s parent company, to develop a pair of glasses that it hopes would permanently replace smartphones. The glasses, known internally as Orion, would be able to take phone calls, show information via a small display in the frames, and allow people to livestream what they see to social media followers.
The glasses would also include an AI voice assistant as well as a ring device, though it’s not entirely clear how that would work. The internal code name for the ring device is Agios.
Consumers can supposedly expect these high-tech glasses to hit the market between 2023 and 2025. Citing an anonymous source familiar with the project, CNN said Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg wants to prioritize the completion of the Orion glasses.
Facebook hinted at the glasses last October when the company told TechCrunch that they were doing a lot of research into creating AR glasses.
Digital Trends reached out to Facebook and Luxottica to confirm details about the glasses and we’ll update this story if we hear back.
More and more tech companies are trying to perfect smartglasses for consumers. Of course, there are Snapchat’s Snap Inc.’s Spectacles which can capture your world in a 3D view or take still images.
Tech company North also launched smart Focals last October that offer a number of features, like turn-by-turn directions, weather information, Spotify control, audio recording and more.
Other companies haven’t been as successful in the glasses market: in 2013, Google’s Google Glass failed quickly due to the lack of proper software and the glasses’ awkward appearance. Glass has since been revived for the corporate user as the Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2, which has a $999 price tag.
We don’t know if Facebook glasses would be a hit or a flop, but it’s another sign that the company isn’t satisfied just owning the world’s biggest social network. Earlier this month, Facebook announced Facebook Dating available to U.S. users. Unlike other dating apps, Facebook Dating suggests people based on their interests, preferences, Facebook groups, and Facebook events. The company is also reportedly working on a streaming device under its Portal line.
