Facebook Reportedly Working on Smart Glasses to Replace Your Phone

Facebook is reportedly working on its own smart glasses that are apparently meant to replace smartphones. A new CNBC report states that the company has partnered with Luxottica, the parent company behind Ray-Ban, to help develop the new smart glasses.

The project, internally codenamed Orion, will allow users to take calls and show information in a display. The glasses will also allow users to live-stream their vantage point directly from their glasses to their social media, likely Facebook and Instagram Live. These new glasses are meant to replace smartphones, which is frankly an absurd idea. This wouldn’t be the first time a company has tried this, by the way.

Windows Intelligence In Your Inbox

Sign up for our new free newsletter to get three time-saving tips each Friday — and get free copies of Paul Thurrott's Windows 11 and Windows 10 Field Guides (normally $9.99) as a special welcome gift!

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Facebook is also working on a “ring” device codenamed Agios that will allow users to control the Orion glasses using their fingers. The company is even building an AI assistant for the new glasses.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has apparently shown strong interest in these new glasses, although the company has so far been unable to reduce the size of the device into a form factor that will actually look good. It’s already been in development for a couple of years, though recent struggles have apparently led to the company partnering with industry leaders like Luxottica.

These new glasses also aren’t expected to ship till 2023 and could take as long as late 2025 to ship, or never ship at all.

Tagged with

Share post

Please check our Community Guidelines before commenting

Conversation 14 comments

  • Thomas Parkison

    17 September, 2019 - 6:57 pm

    <p>Nope. Nope. And did I say nope? I think so but I'm going to say it again… Nope.</p>

  • red.radar

    Premium Member
    17 September, 2019 - 7:32 pm

    <p>I really want to know what Facebook thinks they are doing different that will make them successful when Google wasn't..</p><p><br></p><p><br></p>

  • jchampeau

    Premium Member
    17 September, 2019 - 10:11 pm

    <p>I could see glasses <em>augmenting</em> phones in the same way watches have. But replacing? HOW WOULD YOU PLAY CANDY CRUSH!? Maybe that's why Microsoft started bundling it.</p>

  • Tony Barrett

    18 September, 2019 - 2:38 am

    <p>Everyday I try and come up with another reason <em>not</em> to use any FB hardware or services. This is definitely right up there at the top. FB are actually making it easy now!</p>

  • spacein_vader

    Premium Member
    18 September, 2019 - 3:18 am

    <p>I predict this will be just as successful as Google Glass was.</p>

  • stmorr82zw5zml

    Premium Member
    18 September, 2019 - 5:24 am

    <p>Forget Facebook Glasses or Google Glass. When/where can I get my scramble suit? The future is private? Pfff yeah right. ?</p>

  • Greg Green

    18 September, 2019 - 7:33 am

    <p>At least that will cure the posture problem as people ignore the world immediately around them.</p>

  • Thom77

    18 September, 2019 - 8:10 am

    <p>you will need an app on your phone to utilize the smart glasses that is meant to replace your phone.</p><p><br></p><p>That's the facebook way (ex. Oculus headsets)</p><p><br></p>

  • Chris_Kez

    Premium Member
    18 September, 2019 - 9:57 am

    <p>Just go away, Facebook. Please, just go away.</p>

  • EZAB

    18 September, 2019 - 11:36 am

    <p>If you want to see how this could be utilized, check out "The First" on Hulu with Sean Penn. I see Microsoft going in this direction with Azure much more than Fakebook. When I first saw this I immediately thought of Microsoft doing this. They could be the first.</p><p><br></p><p>https://www.hulu.com/series/the-first-54d5d84a-95e6-4f0e-b22b-a3cec5fd1242</p&gt;

  • SvenJ

    18 September, 2019 - 12:36 pm

    <p>Will they come in prescription? Bifocal?</p>

  • randallcorn

    Premium Member
    18 September, 2019 - 4:01 pm

    <p>So I guess people will not get beaten up when wearing these like Google Glass users did?</p>

  • bill_russell

    18 September, 2019 - 5:50 pm

    <p>The functionality they are planning for these glasses would require as big a battery as a smartphone, as well as its CPU and other guts. Where would that be kept and tethered to? I'd assume a pocket control unit, at which point why not make it work with a smartphone? If anything, probably Apple would be able to do this first, if it were practically possible. </p>

  • wright_is

    Premium Member
    19 September, 2019 - 4:00 am

    <p>Haven't they learnt from the Google debacle? Cameras on glasses are socially unacceptable… And how are you going to make that selfie now?</p>

Windows Intelligence In Your Inbox

Sign up for our new free newsletter to get three time-saving tips each Friday

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Thurrott © 2024 Thurrott LLC