Meta and Oakley Launch Sporty New Smart Glasses Aimed at Athletes

Meta and Oakley have announced a pair of new Performance AI “smart glasses” designed for athletes and sports fans alike. The Oakley Meta HSTN smart glasses arrive soon, and both companies are calling them a “game changer” in the growing AI-driven smart glasses space.

Meta has been a major player in the smart glasses space, and early offerings like the Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses II have been impressive. For those unfamiliar with smart glasses, they are, at a very basic level, a pair of regular glasses combined with a camera and audio system. It is this combination of factors that Meta and its glasses partners believe elevate the product far beyond being just fancy glasses and instead become a transformative way to experience the world.

That’s undoubtedly an ambitious goal, but the technology involved is improving fast, and smart glasses are gaining a foothold in the premium glasses space. In the case of the Oakley Meta HSTN glasses, they feature an improved built-in camera that can record 3K video, up from 1080p resolution on prior Ray-Ban Meta models. They also feature improved battery life, lasting up to eight hours for typical use and nearly a day on standby. They can also be quickly charged to 50% in just 20 minutes and ship with a charging case that delivers up to 48 hours of charging on the go.

Alongside the improved camera and larger battery, the Oakley Meta HSTN smart glasses feature open-ear speakers and a microphone integrated into the frame. By using this microphone, speakers, and the camera, users can interact with Meta AI in various ways. Meta AI can serve as a personal assistant, capable of answering questions about current conditions, what the user is looking at, and more.

“With Meta AI, your personal AI assistant, built in, athletes can get more out of their Oakley Meta HSTNs right out of the box,” Meta explains. “For example, you can level up the competition in a whole new way when playing a round of golf. Need to know how the wind is going to affect your drive? Ask, ‘Hey Meta, how strong is the wind today?’ and channel your inner Team Oakley Athlete J.R. Smith. Or, like Boo Johnson, record epic moments and post to Stories, hands-free, by saying, ‘Hey Meta, take a video.’ Get answers to a range of questions, whether you’re improving your game or checking the surf conditions.”

The new Oakley partnership makes a ton of sense after Meta extended its partnership with EssilorLuxottica earlier this week, CNBC reports. EssilorLuxottic is the parent company of Ray-Ban, Oakley, and Prada. It’s a safe bet even more smart glasses designed in collaboration with these eyewear brands are in the works.

Pricing and Availability

A pair of limited-edition Oakley Meta HSTN smart glasses in a striking Desert 24k Prizm Polar colorway will be available starting July 11 for $499. The rest of the Oakley Meta HSTN smart glasses collection will be available later this summer for $399.

Image credits: Meta, Oakley