Meta brings Ray-Ban, Oakley smart glasses to Korea

Meta said it will launch its Ray-Ban Meta and Oakley Meta smart glasses in South Korea on May 25 with EssilorLuxottica, a French-Italian eyewear group, expanding its AI wearable lineup in the market.

Ray-Ban Meta will come in Wayfarer, Square, and Headliner styles, while Oakley Meta will offer Vanguard and HSTN models, with features including a 12MP ultra-wide camera, 3K video, open-ear speakers, and up to eight hours of battery life on some versions.

The glasses include an LED light that turns on during photo or video recording, and prices in South Korea will start at 690,000 won (US$460), with Ray-Ban Meta sold through department stores, duty-free shops, and optical stores, and Oakley Meta also available at Oakley partner stores.

🔗 Source: The Chosun Daily

🧠 Food for thought

Implications, context, and why it matters.

Meta’s glasses launch is part of a multi-billion dollar strategy

Meta has sold 7 million smart glasses, giving it more than 80% of the market as it expands beyond South Korea 1.
An extended exclusive partnership with EssilorLuxottica supports that push. The deal was valued at US$5 billion 2. Meta Ray-Ban sales reached 2 million pairs since 2023, said Francesco Milleri, CEO of EssilorLuxottica 2. Annual production is set to reach 10 million units by the end of 2026 2.
Meta is building several price bands. Ray-Ban Meta glasses start at US$299, while Oakley Meta HSTN starts at US$399 3.
Higher-priced models are on the way. Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses are set for September 30 at US$799 and include a high-resolution display, according to Forrester, a market research firm 4.

High sales obscure growing privacy and social conflicts

High sales have not eased concerns around the glasses. Andrew Bosworth, CTO of Meta, has tied sales to public acceptance 1. The product still stirs conflict 1.
The LED recording light is dim in daylight and often missed, which can let wearers film people in public without consent 1.
That has sparked backlash and left museums, hospitals, and other venues with tougher privacy rules to police 1.
Data gathered by the glasses has also prompted lawsuits from people who said they did not know human workers were reviewing their videos 1.