EssilorLuxottica has reported a significant surge in demand for Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, contributing to stronger-than-expected quarterly revenue. The company announced a 7.3% increase in revenue, surpassing Bloomberg’s analyst estimate of 5.9%.
A key highlight from the financial results was the more than threefold increase in Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses sales during the first half of the year compared to the same period last year. Francesco Milleri, EssilorLuxottica Chairman and CEO, alongside Deputy CEO Paul du Saillant, articulated their vision, stating, “We are leading the transformation of glasses as the next computing platform, one where AI, sensory tech and a data-rich healthcare infrastructure will converge.”
The current iteration of Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, launched in October 2023, has seen continuous software enhancements, including recent additions like live translation. These AI-powered features are believed to be instrumental in accelerating consumer adoption as the smart glasses market gains momentum.
The growing success of smart glasses is attracting more players to the market. Alibaba recently unveiled the Quark AI Glass, slated for release later this year. Google and Apple are also reportedly developing their own smart glasses. While Bloomberg indicated that Apple CEO Tim Cook is personally involved in speeding up Apple’s project, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggests a debut is unlikely before 2027, contrary to earlier predictions of a 2026 launch.
Meta is expanding its smart glasses portfolio with a second collaboration with EssilorLuxottica, the Oakley x Meta smart glasses. Furthermore, Meta is developing the Orion AI Glasses, which are expected to incorporate a display. The Financial Times also reported Meta’s plans to integrate a display into its Ray-Ban glasses as early as the second half of 2025, though specific details remain limited.
