Prada's Linea Rossa glasses are an example of frames that could potentially fiit a lot of technology. Prada | Jason Hiner/ZDNET
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ZDNET's key takeaways
We expect the 3.0 version of Meta's audio-only Ray-Ban smart glasses at Meta Connect in September with several upgrades.
Meta executives have teased that multiple wearables are coming this fall.
There are reports that Meta will also launch a new line of AR smart glasses that have a display and that it will partner with a different EssilorLuxotica brand: Prada.
Multiple reports continue to stream in about Meta launching its next-generation smart glasses -- the successors to its Meta Ray-Bans, which have far exceeded sales expectations over the past two years. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and CTO Andrew Bosworth have largely confirmed that Meta will release multiple wearable products this fall.
Also: I tried smart glasses with a built-in display, and they made my Meta Ray-Bans feel outdated
But one of the things flying under the radar is that Meta will reportedly introduce a new brand partner: Prada. This has been known since a June report from CNBC. It makes sense, not only because Prada glasses tend to be large and bulky enough to hold plenty of technology, but Prada's glasses are under the umbrella of EssilorLuxotica, the same company that runs the Ray-Ban and Oakley brands. Meta reportedly acquired a 3% stake in EssilorLuxotica in June to officially extend and expand the partnership -- and presumably freeze out other tech brands from making similar deals with them.
There's been plenty of confusion and speculation about the smart glasses Meta will announce at its Meta Connect event on September 17. Because Meta is launching multiple products, some of the wires have gotten crossed by reporters -- for example, conflating features in Meta's "Hypernova" or "Celeste" glasses (the two codenames most associated with Meta AR glasses) with the next iteration of Meta Ray-Bans AI glasses. So let's break it down.
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