July 20, 2024 – Reports from technology news outlet The Verge indicate that Google has reached out to EssilorLuxottica, the company behind the popular Ray-Ban brand, to discuss a potential partnership for the production of Gemini smart glasses.
EssilorLuxottica, an Italian-French vertically integrated multinational corporation headquartered in Paris, was formed through the merger of Luxottica of Italy and Essilor of France on October 1, 2018. The conglomerate designs, produces, and sells ophthalmic lenses, optical instruments, prescription eyewear, and sunglasses.
Interestingly, EssilorLuxottica has previously collaborated with Meta, resulting in the launch of two generations of Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses. Recent developments suggest that Meta is planning to invest billions of dollars to acquire approximately 5% of EssilorLuxottica’s shares.
According to The Verge, this investment by Meta could potentially hinder the collaboration between EssilorLuxottica and Google. However, the possibility of Google partnering with other brands under the EssilorLuxottica umbrella, such as Oakley, LensCrafters, or Sunglass Hut, remains open.
In a related development, earlier this year in May, Google accidentally revealed an AR glasses prototype during a demonstration of its Project Astra. The video showcased a scenario where the demonstrator inquires Gemini, “Do you remember where you saw my glasses?” Gemini responds, “Yes, I remember. Your glasses are on the table, next to the apple.”
As the demonstrator puts on the glasses, they engage in a series of interactions with the AI, asking questions about their surroundings. Evidently, the device is equipped with a camera to perceive the environment, and a user interface indicates its active listening mode through waveform movements. This unexpected revelation hints at the potential capabilities and integration of AI in Google’s upcoming smart glasses.
