The smart glasses Ray-Ban Stories They were launched in September 2021 by Meta, the company that owns the popular applications Facebook, Instagram or WhatsApp, directed by the American Mark Zuckerberg.

These unique devices feature dual 5 megapixel (MP) camera and video capabilities, as well as built-in audio, both for listening to music and making phone calls.

These smart glasses not only include a speaker system and three microphones, but also allow users to use the Facebook View application, available for iOS and Android, from their mobile phone to store, edit and share photos and videos on Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger and Twitter, details Europe Press.

Anyway, despite all its properties, Meta has recognized that the smart glasses developed together with Ray-Ban have not generated the desired impact on its customerssince out of the total buyers, only 10% use it regularly, although they are already in the second generation.

After taking stock of these two years, Meta recognized that the owners of these glasses would use them less often than expected, according to internal company data it accessed. The Wall Street Journal.

Poor connectivity, problems with some functions of the hardware such as battery life, audio or voice command issues; and the inability to import media from streaming devices to the glasses are some of the reasons why users would stop using them or return them.

“We will need to better understand why users stop using their glasses, how we can ensure we encourage adoption of new features and, ultimately, how we can keep our users engaged and retained,” according to this internal document.

New generation with AI

Despite the poor results, the company led by Zuckerberg announced at the end of September that it will launch a second generation of Ray-Ban Stories. This new supply of glasses will be equipped with Artificial Intelligence (AI).

The second generation of smart glasses from Meta and Ray-Ban, in collaboration with EssilorLuxottica, will be called Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses, will have a base price of $299 and will go on sale on October 17.

This allows users to report what they see and hear in real timeZuckerberg said, in addition to serving as a virtual assistant support for everyday life.

It allows you to broadcast live to Facebook or Instagram and use “Hey Meta” to communicate with Meta AI, using voice only. The glasses have a personal audio system and can play music that only the user can hear. In addition, they have five microphones, including one on the nose bridge, so that calls can be heard clearly.

The new Ray Ban Meta’s camera ranges from 5MP to 12MP ultra-wide, capturing high-quality photos and immersive 1080p videos in the vertical orientation. The discrete open-ear speakers now have improved bass response and noise cancellation, improving overall audio quality and detail Forbes.

The new glasses will be available in a full range of prescription, solar, clear, polarized or transition lenses, with all lenses offering advanced clarity, comfort and protection. Smart lenses can also be ‘remixed’, choosing frame color, lens variety and finish and more to create more than 130 color and style combinations.

Similar project

It is not the first time that a technology company has focused on the development of this type of device. In the past, Google entered this space with its Google Glass, a development that was named by Time magazine as one of the best inventions of 2012.

It was a device that looked like something out of a science fiction movie.

Three years after its launch, Google Glass was scrapped.

They were high-tech glasses with a head-up display on which information moved along the user’s eyeline, all activated by voice commands or gestures.

While the utility and image of Google Glass were appealing, privacy concerns surrounding the user’s ability to film and photograph others without being noticed proved to be its downfall.

In 2017, the project was transformed into Glass at Work, an offer that is not aimed at the general public but at companies. However, the project did not get off the ground and in March 2023, Google put an end to its futuristic glasses. (JO)