Ray-Ban’s Meta smart glasses prove to be a hit around the globe

Ray-Ban’s Meta smart glasses are the best-selling product in the majority of Ray-Ban stores in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

One year on from the release of the second generation of the Ray-Ban Meta glasses, EssilorLuxottica’s CFO Stefano Grassi revealed on a recent investors’ call that the smart glasses are the top-selling product in 60% of Ray-Ban stores in EMEA – a term used to describe the geographical region encompassing Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

Speaking in the parent company’s Q3 2024 earnings call, Mr Grassi told investors, as reported by Upload: “Ray-Ban Meta, very happy about the performance that we’ve seen. It’s an overall success story that we see.

“Just to give you an idea, it’s not just a success in the US, where it’s obvious. But it’s also a success here in Europe. In 60% of the Ray-Ban stores in Europe, in EMEA, Ray-Ban Meta is the best-seller in those stores. So it’s something that is extremely pleasing.”

It’s no surprise that he’s pleased, with the average price of Ray-Ban products being between $150 and $200 and the Ray-Ban Meta glasses starting $300, that surely accounts for a spike in revenue for the eyewear company.

Looking to the future, the popularity of Ray-Ban’s offering is an early sign that tech and fashion are increasingly going in hand in hand. Even more importantly, consumers are willing to pay more for smart glasses if they’re stylish and easily available, highlighting that smart wear is becoming integrated into the day-to-day, rather than being reserved for tech fans.

Technology-wise, the Ray-Ban Meta glasses are relatively simple, as smart glasses go, especially when you compare them to Apple’s plans, for instance. There’s no display and, while there are still updates coming through, EssilorLuxottica has lines in the sand about how far aesthetics can be compromised for greater technical advancements.

For example, the thickness of the frames has been a sticking point, meaning there’s no room for the kind of technology needed to make them real AR glasses.

That said, there are still some tempting features included in Ray-Ban’s gear, clearly intended to be used in everyday routines. You can set reminders and timers, send WhatsApp voice memos, scan AR codes, and activate Meta AI. There are also plans to add live translation, Spotify controls, and more later this year.

The Meta AI features are only available in the UK and the US but this hasn’t seemed to impact the sales throughout EMEA. Plus, there’s still plenty of time for further developments, with Meta and EssilorLuxottica recently extending their partnership into the 2030s.

Featured image: Meta

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