Meta Introduces Oakley Meta HSTN Smart Glasses

"...Several months ago, reports emerged that Meta was looking to expand beyond its current smart glasses lineup into sportier versions. Now the glasses are officially here...."

"...Staying true to the brand, the Meta version of the glasses keeps the form factor Oakley is known for, with a more flexible and rugged design that still allows athletes to take advantage of the smart glasses' capabilities, such as filming, listening to audio, and getting notifications on their runs...."

"...Like the original Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, the Oakley model also has camera sensors embedded along the side of the eyewear, making it a practical tool for people who are recording sportier, fast-action videos and want to accurately capture their POV while doing activities such as running, biking, and more...."

"...To accommodate these outdoor activities, the glasses have an IPX4 water resistance rating, a step-up in durability from the Ray-Bans...."

"...The quality of the video captured will also improve, with the Oakley glasses capturing 3K video, up from 1080p on the Meta Ray-Bans...."

"...The Oakley version also addresses one of the biggest pain points in the Meta Ray-Ban glasses -- battery life. Meta shares that the Oakley glasses will power eight hours of usage instead of four, doubling the battery lifetime and letting it capture more of an average day of work or activity...."

"...Of course, AI is still a large part of the experience with these glasses, with users being able to conveniently access the Meta AI assistant from their glasses by just using their voice (or a long press on the frame). This feature may be especially helpful for athletes who need to be hands-free while carrying out physical activity...."

"...The Oakley brand is owned by EssilorLuxottica, which also owns Ray-Ban. Meta unveiled its collaboration with Ray-Ban for smart glasses two years ago, and it has been a smashing success since they launched. EssilorLuxottica reported in February that two million pairs of the Meta Ray-Bans have been sold since their October 2023 launch. The Ray-Ban Meta glasses are so popular that Meta claims they have become the number one selling AI glasses in the world...."

"...Meta began breadcrumbing the release of the glasses earlier this week with the release of its official "Oakley Meta" profile on Instagram. A Bloomberg report from earlier this year hinted that Meta would release a new pair of smart glasses targeted toward athletes that would launch in 2025. Now, that time has come...."

"...The limited-edition Oakley Meta HSTN glasses retail for $499, but more models will be available later this summer at the lower price point of $399. For comparison, Meta's Ray-Ban glasses cost between $240 and $300, depending on the model...."

"...The glasses come in five Oakley frames and lens combinations. They also offer prescription lens support for eyeglass wearers...."

"...The Oakley Meta HSTN glasses will be available to preorder on July 11 and sold in the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland, France, Italy, Spain, Austria, Belgium, Australia, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Denmark...."

"...Notably, Google is working on its own version, as is Apple. There's also a third generation of Meta's glasses in the works, the latest reported to have a built-in display. We probably wouldn't know more about that until Meta Connect in the fall...."

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