Meta (META, Financial) is making a calculated move into the smart glasses arena—with a nearly 3% stake in EssilorLuxottica, the global leader behind Ray-Ban and Oakley. Valued at roughly €3 billion ($3.5 billion), the stake gives Meta more than just skin in the game—it opens the door to deeper manufacturing insight, stronger control over hardware distribution, and a front-row seat to the future of wearables. According to sources familiar with the matter, Meta could gradually push that stake to 5%, though that path remains fluid. EssilorLuxottica shares surged up to 7.1% following the news—its sharpest rise in three months—while Meta edged higher in premarket trading.
This isn't a new partnership—it's the next phase. Meta and EssilorLuxottica have spent years co-developing AI-enabled glasses that combine design credibility with tech capability. The Ray-Ban Meta models already offer real-time AI features like image-captioning and voice-accessed stock updates, with Oakley-branded variants also hitting the market. Analysts at Bernstein view the deal as another sign Meta is serious about carving out a long-term position in wearable AI. In Meta's eyes, smart glasses could finally give it something it's lacked: a native hardware platform that bypasses phones and puts its ecosystem front and center.
Zoom out, and the race is just getting started. Warby Parker rallied 4.5% on the heels of Meta's move, and other tech players are closing in—Google has joined forces with Kering Eyewear, and Xiaomi is gearing up to enter the field. With full AR still years from mass-market viability, simpler AI-infused glasses are gaining momentum fast. Market researchers see the category expanding from $1.93 billion this year to $8.26 billion by 2030. If Meta's vision plays out, its early investment in the world's top eyewear maker might end up being more than just a foot in the door—it could be a playbook for smart hardware dominance.
