Facebook has launched its very first pair of smart glasses, designed in collaboration with Ray-Ban.
The new Ray-Ban Stories glasses come in at $299 and are available in 20 style combinations.
It’s important to note that these glasses aren’t exactly ‘smart’ – there’s no augmented reality overlay, but you can make phone calls, take photographs from your lens, and listen to music and have it pumped into your ears.
The new glasses come with two 5-megapixel cameras, which are built into each side of the frame, and there’s a hard-wired LED light so people around you know if you’re taking a picture or recording a video of them.
Open-ear speakers are also included, as well as a three microphone set-up for phone calls.
The glasses come with a six-hour battery life as standard, as well as a portable charging case that allows users to recharge their glasses for up to three days. The glasses work with the Facebook View app, which lets users share stories and photos, and content can be shared across Facebook, Messenger, WhatsApp, Instagram, as well as third-party social networks like Snapchat and TikTok, though there’s no official integration there.
Today we’re excited to launch @ray_ban Stories built with @Luxottica: Smart glasses that let you capture photos and video, share your adventures, and listen to music or take phone calls — so you can stay present with the world around you. // https://t.co/bwwTXaM9WI pic.twitter.com/TnV0Vb60RW
— Tech@Facebook (@techatfacebook) September 9, 2021
Users can order their Ray-Ban Stories glasses in a whole host of styles and color combinations, including prescription, sun, clear, and transition. They’re available in the US today, and are coming to Australia, Ireland, Canada, and the United Kingdom in the coming months, with some in-store rollouts also expected soon.
