TL;DR
- Google has reportedly approached the parent company of Ray-Ban sunglasses to discuss putting Gemini on future smart glasses.
- The company currently has a partnership with Meta for Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses.
- It’s considered “extremely unlikely” that Meta will lose this partnership to Google.
Smart glasses are experiencing a renaissance of sorts, with sales of Ray-Ban Meta glasses taking off in recent months. Now, it looks like Google wants to muscle in on the Ray-Ban maker for its own Gemini-powered glasses.
The Financial Times recently reported that Meta is in advanced talks with Ray-Ban maker EssilorLuxottica to acquire a five percent stake in the company. However, The Verge has reported that Google recently approached the eyewear maker about putting the Gemini assistant on future smart glasses.
The outlet’s sources note that it’s “extremely unlikely” that Meta will lose its partnership with EssilorLuxottica to Google, adding that it was likely Meta will indeed invest in the company. It also noted that Google previously partnered with Luxottica (prior to its merger with Essilor) to make the ill-fated Google Glass almost a decade ago.
This news also comes as Google continues development on its XR platform, expected to power headsets and smart glasses. Google has teamed up with Samsung and Qualcomm for a device, with a recent report suggesting a developer version could launch in October ahead of a consumer launch in Q1 2025. So even if Google convinces the Ray-Ban maker to make Gemini smart glasses, it’ll be a long time before a commercial release if it’s using this platform.
The Ray-Ban Meta glasses start at $299 and offer Meta’s AI assistant, a 12MP camera with a privacy LED, live-streaming support, and integrated speakers. Meta has also recently updated the smart glasses to offer longer video recording (up to three minutes), along with support for Amazon Music and the Calm meditation app.