Latest news with #HSTN
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Meta Announces Oakley-Branded AI Glasses Aimed at Athletes
This story was originally published on Social Media Today. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Social Media Today newsletter. They might not be exactly what initial reports had suggested, but Meta has today announced its latest smart glasses, or 'AI glasses' as it now prefers to call them, with a sports-aligned version created in partnership with Oakley. As indicated in the promo, which features a range of big-name sports stars, Meta's Oakley HSTN glasses are designed to appeal to athletes and regular folk alike. As explained by Meta: 'Oakley Meta HSTN (pronounced HOW-stuhn), based on the HSTN style of Oakley glasses, combines bold aesthetics with cutting-edge tech. Capture the action completely hands-free with the built-in camera and share your unique POV. Get pumped up with your favorite playlist, listen to podcasts and more, thanks to powerful open-ear speakers seamlessly integrated into the frames. And with an IPX4 water resistance rating, you can push yourself to the outer limits of your potential.' So the device is pretty much the same as the Ray Ban AI glasses that Meta has had on the market for some time, but with water resistance, though Meta also notes that the HSTN glasses have longer battery life, a higher resolution camera built-in, and in-activity support via Meta AI. What the new device doesn't have is additional data tracking elements, which some had suggested would be part of the new device when initial reports of the Oakley collaboration leaked back in January. Those early reports, based on limited information, suggested that Meta's athletic sunglasses would be based on Oakley's more futuristic-looking 'Sphaera' style, and would come with a single camera, in the center of the frame, in order to reduce weight. That isn't what this final launch version will be, with the variation seemingly being more about style than technical advancement, at least at this stage. Which is fine. Meta's Ray Ban glasses have been selling well, and adding an Oakley variation will no doubt also prove popular, as more people look to integrate AI into their everyday lives. And sure, Meta's AI guidance could help in improving performance through generic feedback. But it had seemed like this would be Meta's first foray into fitness tracking, and providing more in-depth performance insight through the device. Though that's probably not easy to do. A key way that fitness trackers provide feedback right now is through pulse measurement, and Meta's glasses can't do that. They could give you distance tracking, via GPS, and maybe there'll be a Strava type app made available for this purpose, and there may be other tracking elements that Meta could look to integrate into another version of the device. Though it actually seems like this element would be better facilitated by a Meta-branded smartwatch, which the company has gone back and forth on at different times, and could still be something that's on the cards for its broader wearables push. Meta last shelved its smartwatch plan back in 2022, due to broader cost-cutting, amid other complications, though it's also been working on a wrist-based control device, based on EMT, as part of its AR development push. That could still play a role in its coming AR glasses push, and maybe, that will also be an addition to its fitness-tracking elements, which could increase the utility of these new Oakley glasses in this respect. But right now, what you're really looking at is a new version of Meta's smart glasses, in a different style, in order to appeal to an alternative audience. As such, I'm not sure that they're going to 'change everything' like Patrick Mahomes claims in the video clip, but it's another expansion of Meta's evolving wearables push. Meta says that its Oakley Meta HSTN will be available for pre-order starting July 11th at a price of $US499 USD. Further glasses models which will be part of the new Meta Oakley collection will be released later this summer, starting at $US399. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Straits Times
11 hours ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Meta launches $513 Oakley AI glasses with 3K video recording
The display-free Oakley glasses are one component of the overall Meta AI hardware strategy. PHOTO: META Meta Platforms Inc. is going up-market with its surprise hit smart glasses, rolling out new models with Oakley that are aimed at athletes and include improved video recording. The company on June 20 launched new models based on Oakley's HSTN design, marking the company's first expansion away from Ray-Ban for its display-free glasses. Like the original models, the Oakley versions can make and take phone calls, play music, take pictures and video and use Meta's artificial intelligence to answer questions about the surrounding environment. The new versions, which start at US$399 (S$513) and go up to US$499 for a limited edition model with gold-colored accents, include about double the battery life, video-recording at 3K resolution and water resistance. 'We are increasingly seeing performance use cases with the Ray-Bans like people wearing them on roller coasters, cycling and being around water, so we're trying to lean into that,' says Mr Alex Himel, the company's vice-president in charge of wearables, in an interview. Arriving at its second glasses brand was far from a sure thing. Meta's first glasses, the Ray-Ban Stories, flopped in 2021. But its follow-up version in 2023 was a massive success, giving the social networking giant a real potential hardware stronghold in the artificial intelligence race. 'It was crazy. Popularity caught us by surprise a bit,' Mr Himel said. The Ray-Bans were 'going to be the last display-less pair of glasses. We said we'll take two swings at it, and if it doesn't work we'll go all-in on augmented reality'. Instead, beyond the latest Oakley model, the company has a multi-year road map for the display-less category and is planning a follow-up pair of Oakley glasses based on the Sphera design for later in 2025 , according to people with knowledge of the matter. That pair will be aimed at cyclists and have a centred camera. The model on June 20 has a camera positioned in the upper corner like the Ray-Ban version. The display-free glasses are one component of the overall Meta AI hardware strategy. The company is planning to introduce higher-end glasses with a display to view notifications and the camera view finder later in 202 5, Bloomberg News has reported. In 2027, it aims to roll out its first true augmented reality glasses, which will blend digital apps with the real world. Meta's form-factor has caught on, with several other technology companies working on competitors. Apple Inc. is planning to introduce its first glasses product at the end of 2026, Bloomberg News has reported. That device will operate similarly to the Meta product but better synchronise with the rest of the Apple ecosystem. Inc. also sells glasses, but their current models lack cameras. Mr Himel, who said Meta has sold millions of glasses and has a 'nice, increasing multiple' of purchases on a year-over-year basis each week, attributed the increased popularity to the Ray-Bans improving across a large number of 'small things.' He said the audio quality and microphones started to surpass standalone earbuds, while the camera and AI quality also improved. Still, Mr Himel said battery life remains the 'number one complaint' about the Ray-Ban versions. The new Oakley models can run for 8 hours on a single charge, with the charging case holding 48 hours of juice. 'You should expect a 40 per cent bump with these' he says, attributing the improvement to new battery chemistry and software optimisations – not larger battery packs. Like Ray-Ban, Oakley is owned by EssilorLuxottica SA, which calls Oakley its second most popular brand after Ray-Ban. Mr Himel said Meta will roll out new brands under the EssilorLuxottica portfolio 'as fast as we can. 'We're going to have to move very quickly because in the world of fashion, stuff moves very quickly,' he says. 'The stuff that is a hit right now might not be a year from now. We need to be fast to hit all the brands that we'd like to.' The first Oakley model, becoming available for pre-order on July 11, will be the US$499 limited edition pair. The US$399 versions – which come in grey, black, brown and clear colors – will be released in the coming months. There will be versions with clear, transition and polarised lenses. Like with the Ray-Bans, users can swap the lenses for prescription optics. The glasses will be available in the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, France, Italy, Spain, Austria, Belgium, Australia, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Denmark, according to Meta. BLOOMBERG Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Los Angeles Times
a day ago
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
Meta launches $399 Oakley AI Glasses with 3K video recording
Meta Platforms Inc. is going up-market with its surprise hit smart glasses, rolling out new models with Oakley that are aimed at athletes and include improved video recording. The company on Friday launched new models based on Oakley's HSTN design, marking the company's first expansion away from Ray-Ban for its display-free glasses. Like the original models, the Oakley versions can make and take phone calls, play music, take pictures and video and use Meta's artificial intelligence to answer questions about the surrounding environment. The new versions, which start at $399 and go up to $499 for a limited edition model with gold-colored accents, include about double the battery life, video-recording at 3K resolution and water resistance. 'We are increasingly seeing performance use cases with the Ray-Bans like people wearing them on roller coasters, cycling and being around water, so we're trying to lean into that,' says Alex Himel, the company's vice president in charge of wearables, in an interview. Arriving at its second glasses brand was far from a sure thing. Meta's first glasses, the Ray-Ban Stories, flopped in 2021. But its follow-up version in 2023 was a massive success, giving the social networking giant a real potential hardware stronghold in the artificial intelligence race. 'It was crazy. Popularity caught us by surprise a bit,' Himel said. The Ray-Bans were 'going to be the last display-less pair of glasses. We said we'll take two swings at it, and if it doesn't work we'll go all-in on augmented reality.' Instead, beyond the latest Oakley model, the company has a multi-year road map for the display-less category and is planning a follow-up pair of Oakley glasses based on the Sphera design for later this year, according to people with knowledge of the matter. That pair will be aimed at cyclists and have a centered camera. Friday's model has a camera positioned in the upper corner like the Ray-Ban version. The display-free glasses are one component of the overall Meta AI hardware strategy. The company is planning to introduce higher-end glasses with a display to view notifications and the camera view finder later this year, Bloomberg News has reported. In 2027, it aims to roll out its first true augmented reality glasses, which will blend digital apps with the real world. Meta's form-factor has caught on, with several other technology companies working on competitors. Apple Inc. is planning to introduce its first glasses product at the end of 2026, Bloomberg News has reported. That device will operate similarly to the Meta product but better synchronize with the rest of the Apple ecosystem. Inc. also sells glasses, but their current models lack cameras. Himel, who said Meta has sold millions of glasses and has a 'nice, increasing multiple' of purchases on a year-over-year basis each week, attributed the increased popularity to the Ray-Bans improving across a large number of 'small things.' He said the audio quality and microphones started to surpass standalone earbuds, while the camera and AI quality also improved. Still, Himel said battery life remains the 'number one complaint' about the Ray-Ban versions. The new Oakley models can run for 8 hours on a single charge, with the charging case holding 48 hours of juice. 'You should expect a 40% bump with these' he says, attributing the improvement to new battery chemistry and software optimizations — not larger battery packs. Like Ray-Ban, Oakley is owned by EssilorLuxottica SA, which calls Oakley its second most popular brand after Ray-Ban. Himel said Meta will roll out new brands under the EssilorLuxottica portfolio 'as fast as we can. 'We're going to have to move very quickly because in the world of fashion, stuff moves very quickly,' he says. 'The stuff that is a hit right now might not be a year from now. We need to be fast to hit all the brands that we'd like to.' The first Oakley model, becoming available for pre-order on July 11, will be the $499 limited edition pair. The $399 versions — which come in grey, black, brown and clear colors — will be released in the coming months. There will be versions with clear, transition and polarized lenses. Like with the Ray-Bans, users can swap the lenses for prescription optics. The glasses will be available in the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, France, Italy, Spain, Austria, Belgium, Australia, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Denmark, according to Meta. (Updated with availability of new smart glasses in several countries. A previous version corrected the name of Meta executive Alex Himel.) Gurman writes for Bloomberg.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Meta Just Launched $499 Smart Glasses With Oakley
Meta (NASDAQ:META) is making a fresh play in the smart glasses spacethis time with Oakleyand it could open up a new lane for growth. The company just unveiled the Oakley Meta HSTN glasses, its first model aimed directly at athletes and sports enthusiasts. Priced at $499 for the limited-edition gold-accented version and $399 for the base models, the new line will roll out starting July 11, with broader availability later this summer. The design is built off Oakley's HSTN frame and adds hardware upgrades that double the battery life of the original Ray-Ban Meta glasses, along with a new 3K video camera and real-time Meta AI voice assistance. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 5 Warning Sign with META. The tech stack is clearly evolving. The glasses come with open-ear speakers, front-facing cameras, and microphonesallowing wearers to stream music, take hands-free calls, or record content instantly. Meta AI can now translate languages or respond to visual prompts like what am I looking at? Battery performance has also taken a leap forward: 8 hours of regular use, a 20-minute fast charge to 50%, and a new charging case offering up to 48 hours of backup. Oakley's Prizm Lens tech is available in select styles, optimized for performance in different lighting conditions. Frame and lens color options span six variants, all prescription-ready. This launch is part of Meta's longer-term collaboration with EssilorLuxottica, the eyewear giant behind Oakley and Ray-Ban. So far, the Meta Ray-Bans have sold over two million pairs, according to EssilorLuxottica's FY2024 results. The new Oakley Meta HSTN line will be released in more than 15 markets including the US, Canada, UK, France, and Germany, with additional expansion into Mexico, India, and the UAE planned for later this year. For investors, this rollout could signal Meta's intent to build a more sustainable and mainstream wearables businessanchored by global partnerships and real-world utility that extends far beyond social apps. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Gizmodo
a day ago
- Gizmodo
Yep, GoPro Should Be Really Worried About Meta's New ‘Performance' Smart Glasses
Meta's next generation of smart glasses is here, but it's not Ray-Ban doing the heavy lifting on design. This go-around, it's Oakley at the center, which may seem like a strange choice at first but makes more sense once you unpack how Meta is positioning its first new pair of smart glasses since its original Ray-Ban collab. In Meta's words, these things are all about 'performance.' What does that mean, exactly? Sports, mostly. This pair focuses primarily on athletes who want to capture footage from the field, or mountain, or wherever you might be wearing a pair of Oakley glasses and not look like a total rube. And given that positioning, Meta's new glasses, which are called HSTN and pronounced 'HOW-stuhn,' unfortunately, will come with a few major upgrades over their Ray-Ban forebear. One big upgrade will be the camera, which will be higher resolution and capable of capturing video in 3K. Perfect for an action sports scenario where you'd want crisper, sharper video. Meta's Oakley glasses will also have a longer battery life. According to Meta, the HSTN glasses will last up to eight hours with 'typical use' and up to 19 hours if the glasses are on standby. The company also says the glasses can charge from 0% to 50% in 20 minutes. For context, Meta's Ray-Ban glasses last about four hours with 'moderate use.' I can corroborate that battery life estimate, having worn Meta's Ray-Ban glasses as my main pair of sunglasses for the better part of a year, though sometimes I feel like I get a little less. Having a longer-life battery also makes sense from a 'performance' sports-oriented perspective since you probably don't want to be charging these things up when you're hanging off the side of a mountain covered in fresh powder. And, of course, Meta's glasses wouldn't be complete without some AI. Just like Meta's Ray-Ban glasses, Meta's Oakley glasses will come loaded with Meta AI. Meta suggests asking Meta AI stuff like 'How strong is the wind today?' while golfing or triggering the video function hands-free by saying, 'Hey Meta, take a video.' Again, having used Meta's Ray-Ban glasses extensively, my success with Meta AI has varied wildly. Meta's voice assistant is mostly fine for simple stuff like 'take a picture' and 'record a video,' but I've had very mixed results with more complex vision-based tasks like 'What kind of car is that?' or even sometimes asking for weather and triggering specific songs on Spotify. What I'm saying is, take Meta's examples here with a grain of salt. If you're really yearning for a pair of sports-oriented smart glasses and you're okay with Oakley's distinct style, then you'll be able to pre-order HSTN fairly soon. According to Meta, the full collection will drop later this summer for $399 while a limited-edition pair in a special colorway (Desert 24K Prizm Polar) will be available for preorder starting July 11 for $499 USD. That's a premium compared to the Ray-Ban glasses, which typically retail for $299, but at least you're getting some extra battery and a nicer camera to go with it.
