Meta and Oakley Tease Smart Glasses Launch on June 20, Apple Plans AI-Powered Rival for 2026

Highlights

• Meta and Oakley are teasing a sporty smart glasses debut on June 20.
• It is expected to feature an action cam-style design aimed at athletes and cyclists.
• Meta’s Ray-Bans have sold over 2 million units as Google and Apple are also accelerating their smart eyewear efforts.
• Apple is expected to launch AI-powered smart glasses by late 2026 with Siri controls, scene recognition, and real-time translation.

Caption – Meta to Announce Oakley-Branded Smart Glasses. (Image credit – Meta/Oakley)

It appears Meta’s smart glasses lineup is about to get a sporty upgrade. Recently, a new verified Instagram account called “Oakley | Meta” has just appeared, teasing a product launch on June 20. This signals the arrival of a long-rumoured partnership between Meta and Oakley. Here’s what we know so far.

Meta and Oakley Smart Glasses

As we mentioned above, talks of Meta and Oakley’s collaboration have been around since January. This is also when Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported that Meta was working on a new set of smart glasses under the Oakley brand, aimed at athletes and cyclists.

Now, recent teasers have given us something to look forward to on June 20. The teaser jointly shared by Meta, Oakley and the new Meta-Oakley page on Instagram and YouTube says, “The next evolution is coming on June 20.”

Unlike the Ray-Ban Meta Glasses, which are designed for everyday use with a subtle camera built into the frame, the Oakley version is expected to feature a centre-mounted camera, more like an action cam, perfect for capturing fast-paced moments while on the move.

Smart Glasses Market

Meta’s Ray-Bans have turned out to be quite a hit. Earlier this year, the company revealed that it had already shipped over 2 million units with plans to ramp that number up to 10 million per year by 2026. The growing interest in AI assistants has certainly boosted their popularity.

Other tech giants are taking notice. Google recently announced new smart glasses partnerships with Warby Parker, Gentle Monster, and Kering Eyewear, all powered by Android XR.

Meanwhile, Apple is stepping up its game too. According to a recent Bloomberg report, the company is speeding up development of its own AI-powered smart glasses, now aiming for a launch by late 2026.

Apple is expected to start mass-producing prototypes later this year. The project is being handled by the Vision Products Group, the same team behind the Vision Pro headset.

Apple’s Smart Glasses – What to Expect?

Meanwhile, Apple’s first-gen smart glasses are expected to focus on AI-driven features. This would include features such as –

• Scene recognition
• Siri-powered voice controls
• Phone calls and music playback
• Turn-by-turn navigation
• Real-time translation

The glasses are likely to include cameras, microphones, and speakers, drawing comparisons to Meta’s Ray-Bans. One Bloomberg source described Apple’s version as “similar to the Meta product but better made.”

Coming back to the Meta-Oakley collaboration, we are guessing more updates will start to float around closer to the announcement date.

FAQs

Q1. What is the Meta and Oakley collaboration expected to launch?

Answer. Meta and Oakley have teased a sporty smart glasses launch on June 20, featuring a centre-mounted camera designed for athletes and fast-paced action use.

Q2. What are Apple’s plans in the smart glasses space?

Answer. Apple is developing AI-powered smart glasses expected to launch by late 2026, featuring Siri controls, scene recognition, real-time translation, and more.

Q3. How successful has Meta’s smart glasses initiative been so far?

Answer. Meta has shipped over 2 million Ray-Ban smart glasses and aims to reach 10 million per year by 2026, driven by demand for AI assistant features.

Also Read: Apple is Developing Smart Glasses With a Custom Chip, Could Launch by 2027: Report

Also Read: Meta Roadmap Includes AR Glasses by 2027 and Oakley Smart Glasses for Athletes; Launches TikTok Creator Incentives