Facebook ‘teaming up with Ray-Ban’ for smart AR glasses that could replace your smartphone
FACEBOOK is building a pair of smart glasses that let you make calls and take pictures without picking up your phone, according to reports.
The embattled tech titan has apparently teamed up with designer sunglasses brand Ray Ban to design the Sci-Fi spectacles, which could come as soon as 2023.
Codenamed Orion, the wearable tech is designed to completely replace your mobile, reports .
Inside sources told the publication that the glasses would beam information onto the inside of their lenses.
That could include the weather, the time, your battery life or even your Facebook newsfeed.
Graphics would appear over the top of what you're seeing in the real world, a tool known as "augmented reality".
Facebook is developing a hyper-smart AI that will be loaded into the shades.
Like a smart speaker, you'd simply need to bark orders at the gizmo for it to show certain information.
The glasses are also said to have a secret camera that allows users to record or live stream what they're seeing on social media.
Orion's team is based at the Facebook Reality Labs in Redmond, Washington, sources said.
The project has been delayed several times, but Facebook is hoping a partnership with Luxottica – which makes Ray Bans – will speed things along.
The firm aims to get the glasses to market sometime between 2023 and 2025, CNBC reported.
Despite months of rumours, Facebook has yet to officially announce it's working on any smart glasses. The tech titan declined to comment.
The smart sunnies echo Google Glass, a nightmare wearable project that ended in failure for Google.
The £1,000 glasses, which revolved around a small screen that sat in the corner of a wearer's field of vision, enabled them to read messages, take photos and make video calls.
They were withdrawn from sale by Google in 2015 after failing to capture consumer attention.
Virtual Reality v.s. Augmented Reality – what's the difference?
Here's what you need to know...
- Virtual reality involves using a headset to simulate a virtual world
- In a VR world, everything you see will be computer-generated
- Popular VR headsets include the HTC Vive and Facebook's Oculus Rift
- Augmented reality lets you see the real world, but "augments" (or adds on) computer-generated elements
- This means you'll be able to see computer images overlaid onto your real-world view
- For instance, you could wear glasses that overlay directions onto the road in front of you
- Popular AR headsets include Microsoft's HoloLens and the Google Glass spectacles
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Would you use Facebook's weird AR goggles? Let us know in the comments!
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