The smart glasses market is experiencing a surge. EssilorLuxottica, the eyewear giant behind Ray-Ban and Oakley models in partnership with Meta, announced that sales of its AI-powered smart glasses doubled between April and June 2026. The figure emerged from the second-quarter earnings call, where the company reported an 8.7% increase in overall revenue, largely attributing it to the success of AI wearables.
AI smart glasses drive EssilorLuxottica's financial growth
Although the company did not disclose exact unit sales or specific revenue from smart glasses, management clearly stated that this category fueled growth. Francesco Milleri, Chairman and CEO, and Paul du Saillant, Deputy CEO, said: "We made significant progress across our key growth drivers, from the acceleration of our myopia management portfolio to the sustained success of AI-powered wearables, driven by our iconic Ray-Ban and Oakley brands and our core expertise."
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Meta's expansion strategies through sports events and new models
Meta continues to promote its smart glasses aggressively. In late June, it launched the Meta Glasses line, without Ray-Ban or Oakley branding, though still manufactured by EssilorLuxottica but at outside facilities. The company leverages global sports events for its Oakley models: the 2026 World Cup-winning Spanish team received custom Meta Oakley Vanguard glasses with FIFA World Cup engravings. Meta also became the Official AI Wearables Partner for the T100 Triathlon World Tour, where athletes will use Vanguard and HSTN models to capture first-person footage.
Competition heats up: Samsung and Google gear up for launch
Currently, Meta and EssilorLuxottica enjoy a period with little direct competition. Models like the Even Realities Even G2 and MemoMind One lack cameras and rely on in-lens displays. However, the landscape is about to change. Samsung and Google, along with partners Gentle Monster and Warby Parker, are preparing to launch smart glasses later this year that will directly compete with Ray-Ban Meta. Early impressions are positive, citing low weight and varied designs. For insights on AI model comparisons, see our article on Gemini 3.6 Flash vs GPT-5.6 Sol. Also, online scams related to new tech are on the rise, as covered in this piece. For broader context, refer to the Wikipedia page on smart glasses.
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Source: https://www.androidpolice.com/meta-smart-glasses-are-having-a-huge-moment-but-competition-is-coming
