Daily briefing · 2026-10-10 · SaturdayDaily briefing
EYEWEARSEARCH NEWS
EssilorLuxottica Reports 7 Million Smart Glasses Sold Amid Production Expansion Talks
EssilorLuxottica announced in its Q4 2025 earnings report that it sold more than 7 million units of Ray-Ban and Oakley smart glasses. The company is currently discussing plans with Meta to double or triple annual production capacity to meet growing demand.
Brands & Retailers
Apple Acquires Silent Speech Startup Q.ai for Reported $1.6 Billion
Apple has acquired Q.ai, a stealth-mode startup founded in 2022 that converts "silent speech" into text via computer vision. Mainstream outlets like Reuters report the deal value at $1.6 billion, which would make it Apple's second-largest acquisition after Beats. The company's co-founders include Aviad Maizels (formerly of PrimeSense) and Dr. Yonatan Wexler (formerly of OrCam). Unlike hardware-based competitors using jaw sensors, Q.ai employs optical sensing to detect subvocal muscle movements from a distance. This technology could be integrated into future Apple Vision headsets, AirPods stems, or smart glasses reportedly targeted for late 2026 launch. The move highlights the industry focus on enabling private text entry for wearable eyewear.
Products & Technology
Snap Opens Preorders for Specs True AR Glasses at $2,195 for US, UK, and France
Snap has officially opened preorders for its 'Specs' true augmented reality glasses, priced at $2,195 with a $200 refundable deposit. The fully standalone devices are scheduled to ship this fall exclusively to customers in the US, UK, and France. Specs feature proprietary LCoS displays with a 51-degree diagonal field of view, electrochromic lenses that adjust tint in ten seconds, and weigh between 132 and 136 grams depending on frame size. Running Snap OS 2.0, the glasses support first-party applications for browsing, navigation, and translation, alongside third-party 'Lenses' developed via Lens Studio. While Snap claims four hours of mixed-use battery life, detailed resolution specifications remain undisclosed. This launch follows years of development and over $3 billion in AR investment, positioning Specs as a consumer-ready alternative to previous bulky developer kits.
Meta Launches Cheaper 'Meta Glasses' Without Ray-Ban Branding Starting at $300
Meta launched a new line of smart glasses branded simply as "Meta Glasses," featuring the same chipset, camera, speakers, and battery life as the Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 but without the premium branding. Produced in partnership with EssilorLuxottica, the range includes two styles: Adventurer (rectangular) and Fury (square). Prices start at $300, an $80 discount compared to Ray-Ban equivalents, with options for polarized or Transitions lenses costing up to $380. The glasses include overextension hinges and a compact folding charging case similar to the Meta Ray-Ban Display model. Additionally, Meta introduced a $60 stainless steel Charging Stand compatible with most displayless Ray-Ban and Oakley HSTN glasses, though it does not support the Meta Ray-Ban Display or Oakley Meta Vanguard.
Meta and EssilorLuxottica Discuss Doubling or Tripling Smart Glasses Production Capacity
Bloomberg reports that Meta and Ray-Ban owner EssilorLuxottica are discussing doubling their annual smart glasses production target from 10 million to 20 million units, with a potential increase to 30 million if demand justifies it. This follows EssilorLuxottica’s earlier plan to reach 10 million units by end-2026, citing strong sales of Ray-Ban Meta glasses which recently accounted for over a third of its revenue growth. The discussions occur as Meta shifts investment from VR content to AI glasses and wearables, having laid off over 10% of Reality Labs staff. The move aims to expand market footprint ahead of anticipated competition from Apple, Google, and Samsung.
Market & Consumers
EssilorLuxottica Reports Over 7 Million Smart Glasses Sold in 2025 Amid Production Expansion Talks
During its Q4 2025 earnings report, EssilorLuxottica announced that it sold more than 7 million units of Ray-Ban and Oakley smart glasses in 2025 alone. This figure represents more than triple the volume from 2024 and suggests approximately 9 million units have been sold since the launch of Ray-Ban Meta two and a half years ago. The company described these products as the dominant driver of wholesale growth in the second half of the year, noting exponential growth in North American wholesale. This announcement follows Bloomberg reports that Meta and EssilorLuxottica are discussing doubling or tripling production capacity, potentially raising targets to 20–30 million units by 2026. The data underscores strong consumer demand for smart eyewear amidst increasing competition from Apple, Google, and Samsung.
The Vision Council Reports Optical Market Revenue Growth Driven by Prices as Volume and Provider Confidence Decline
The Vision Council released its Market inSights and Provider inSights reports for Q1-Q2 2026, revealing that while the optical industry surpassed $19 billion in value in Q2 2026, this growth was primarily due to higher per-unit pricing. Unit volumes declined across nearly all categories, with exam volume dropping by nearly 2.5 million visits compared to the first half of 2025. Provider sentiment softened significantly; 63% believe the U.S. economy worsened in early 2026, and 61% reported tariffs impacting their practices. Despite these headwinds, 49% of providers now offer smart eyewear, up from 39% a year ago, and 92% carry frames priced at $350 or more.