Facebook & Ray-Ban Team Up For AR Wearables

Facebook has partnered with eyewear brand Luxottica (makers of Ray-Ban and Oakley glasses) to bring the social media giant’s augmented reality glasses – codenamed Stella – to market in the next few years.

The wearable is expected to be a fully-fledged smartphone replacement – giving users the ability to make/take calls, take photos, display information and livestream to social media.

CNBC also reports that Facebook is currently developing an AI voice assistant to act as the wearable’s control and user input system, as well as a ring device that would allow for user input via motion sensors.

This isn’t the first time we’ve heard of Facebook’s plans to create its own AR glasses, with confirmation of the development of the Orion being reported earlier this year.

According to The Information, the Facebook/Ray-Ban AR glasses are expected to be launched sometime between 2023 and 2025, likely before the Orion.

Facebook or Luxottica have yet to comment, although Mark Zuckerberg has said in the past that he considers their AR project a high priority.