In an apparent effort to interest tanned idiots in products invented by a bunch of pasty-faced nerds, Meta teams up with athletes Oakley sunglasses company to manufacture a new generation of smart glasses.
Bloomberg reported On Tuesday, the two companies joined forces in a smart glasses partnership. The glasses will be marketed to athletes, according to the report. Citing “people with knowledge of the subject,” the outlet outlines some of the ways Meta plans to diversify its smart glasses product base in the coming years:
…First, the company plans to introduce its current Ray-Ban glasses to new markets. Second, Meta is expanding its smart glasses technology to other fashion brands owned by its partner Luxottica Group SA. This includes a new version – dubbed “Supernova 2” – based on Oakley’s Sphaera glasses. This model, which moves the camera to the center of the glasses frame, will be aimed at cyclists and other athletes.
What could help you ride a bike better than a pair of sunglasses that take photos and answer phone calls? While details on how these glasses actually work are currently slim, the whole idea seems somewhat ridiculous. Bloomberg notes that while Meta’s glasses don’t currently offer a true augmented reality experience, the company is working overtime to make it happen. A newer model is currently in development and will “include a display on the lower portion of the right lens that projects information into the user’s field of vision,” Bloomberg writes. Users will be able to “run simple software applications, view notifications, and view photos taken by the device,” it adds. It’s true, because it’s okay Really help you ride a bike.
God knows why Zuck wants these things to happen so badly but it is clearly the way of the future. Meta has already seen some success in the smart glasses market through its partnership with Ray-Ban. Now, as it looks to expand its audience, it makes sense for the company to try to reach different segments of the public. I guess as long as he’s making fun of Trump, he probably thinks he should make fun of Trump’s base too (ie: cops).
Bloomberg notes that Meta’s push into the smart glasses market could also be a way for the company to find useful applications for the other product line it has spent years developing: Metaverse products and its software of virtual reality, which she developed. I spent tons of money on development. Since full-fledged goggles and helmets haven’t worked so well, the best thing to do is convert everyone’s sunglasses into little metaverse conduits.