Since Oakley’s launch in 1975, the brand has been a pioneer in both sports and culture with a focus on technology and futuristic designs. Now, the brand has teamed with Meta to create its newest category: performance artificial intelligence glasses.
EssilorLuxottica, the parent of both Oakley and Ray-Ban, said that expanding the AI technology to the Oakley brand and creating the collection are part of its long-term partnership with Meta.
Ray-Ban Meta has had a strong year, becoming top-selling AI glasses around the world. Now, the company is introducing its all-new Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 with more improvements for a stronger experience. Updates for the Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 glasses include an extended battery life from four hours to eight hours of usage and an additional 48 hours with the charging case, improved video capture with an ultrawide HDR camera and 2 times the pixels versus the first generation, faster capture and transfer time.
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New frame colors for the Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 include Wayfarer style in Cosmic Blue and Transitions Gen S Sapphire lenses, Headliner style in Asteroid Grey and Transitions Gen S Emerald lenses and Skyler in Mystic Violet and Transitions Gen S Amethyst lenses. Also introduced is the Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 limited edition, a transparent frame and special Transitions Ruby lenses.
The new Oakley Meta glasses merge Oakley’s distinct design DNA with Meta’s technology and Prizm lenses to give consumers a new way to experience their biggest wins. This follows the pioneering Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses.
As part of the launch of the AI glasses for Oakley, the brands created a new global campaign with Oakley athletes – World Cup winner Kylian Mbappé and three-time Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes.
“Glasses have emerged as the fastest-growing category in wearable technology and we’re proud to be leading the charge,” said Rocco Basilico, chief wearables officer at EssilorLuxottica. “Ray-Ban Meta proved that when iconic design meets breakthrough AI technology — the result is a product the world will embrace emphatically. By bringing that same approach to sport, as we’ve done with Oakley Meta HSTN and now Oakley Vanguard, we give our consumers the keys to another universe where performance is paramount. With Meta, our products will anchor a category that spans functions, technologies, brands and communities worldwide. We’re looking at a long runway ahead of us.”
Alongside the June announcement of the Oakley HSTN product line, EssilorLuxottica has also expanded on its wearables offering with the unveiling of the Oakley Meta Vanguard. The wearables feature sport frames and dual lens wrap Prizm lenses from Oakley — powered by the next generation AI.
Designed for high-intensity sports and active usage, the glasses feature a centered 12-megapixel camera with a 122-degree wide-angle lens and hyperlapse and slow motion recordings. Moreover, the glasses are designed to be comfortably worn for longer workouts and with cycling helmets or hats and replaceable nose pads. The wraparound design features Oakley® Prizm™ Lens technology, designed to block out sun, wind and dust.
Lasting an entire marathon or century ride, the Oakley Meta Vanguard lasts up to nine hours of mixed usage and comes with a charging case that can provide an additional 36 hours of charge on the go. Wearers can also enjoy listening to their favorite music and podcasts with open-ear speakers integrated into the frames.
On the tech side, its AI or “athletic intelligence” wearables include fitness app integrations with Garmin and Strava for training and real-time personalized insights that are easily sharable. With Garmin, Meta is also introducing an Autocapture feature for the glasses to automatically capture footage based on workout stats and milestones.
“Our goal at Oakley is always to create for the future and deliver to the present. With Oakley Meta Vanguard, we’re setting a new baseline for what is possible. We wanted to redefine what an eyewear could be, by delivering what we call an Oakley Meta A.I. — “athletic intelligence” — technological advancements that truly amplify human potential. And it’s a leap toward a new era of human possibilities,” said Caio Amato, global president of Oakley.