Meta Unveils Hypernova Smart Glasses at Connect Conference

Meta is set to unveil its first consumer-facing smart glasses at its annual Connect conference next month. The event, which focuses on virtual reality, augmented reality, and the metaverse, will also see the introduction of a new wristband that allows users to control the glasses with hand gestures. The smart glasses, codenamed Hypernova, will feature a small digital display on the right lens, offering a limited field of view for simple information like text messages.

The glasses are expected to retail for around 800 dollars and will be co-sold with EssilorLuxottica, a company known for its luxury eyewear brands. Meta has been collaborating with Luxottica since 2021, when they launched the first generation of Ray-Ban Stories smart glasses. These glasses allowed users to take photos and videos with simple voice commands and have since been expanded with advanced AI features, receiving positive feedback from early users.

Luxottica owns several eyewear brands, including Ray-Ban, and has licensing agreements with other luxury brands like Prada. While it is unclear which brand will be used for the AR glasses, Meta recently posted a job listing for a technical project manager for its "wearable devices organization," which is responsible for Ray-Ban AR glasses and other wearable hardware. In June, Meta and Luxottica announced plans to launch a new line of Prada-branded smart glasses, which could potentially be the Hypernova device.

Last year, Meta's CEO showcased the company's experimental Orion AR glasses at the Connect conference. The Orion glasses featured two lenses with AR capabilities, allowing users to see 3D digital visual effects overlaid onto the real world. However, the device was only a prototype meant to demonstrate the potential of AR glasses. Despite this, the Orion glasses generated some positive momentum for Meta, as the Reality Labs division, which is responsible for hardware manufacturing, has incurred losses of nearly 70 billion dollars since the end of 2020.

With the Hypernova glasses, Meta will finally offer consumers a pair of smart glasses with a display. However, some insiders have expressed low expectations for sales due to the device's additional components, which make it slightly heavier and bulkier than previous generations. The glasses will also feature a wristband developed by Meta's CTRL Labs, which uses electromyography (EMG) sensor technology to read and interpret electrical signals from hand movements. The wristband is expected to be a key input component for Meta's future full AR glasses, and data collected from the Hypernova device could improve future versions of the wristband.

Meta has been in contact with developers to test the Hypernova glasses and accompanying wristband. The company hopes to attract third-party developers, particularly those specializing in generative AI, to create experimental applications that can be showcased on the smart glasses. In addition to the Hypernova glasses and wristband, Meta is also expected to announce a third-generation voice-activated smart glasses in collaboration with Luxottica at the Connect conference. The new glasses will feature capacitive touch components, allowing users to interact with the device through touch gestures.