Meta Invests $3.5 Billion in World's Largest Eye-Wear Maker in AI Glasses Push
- Reference: 0178314424
- News link: https://meta.slashdot.org/story/25/07/08/2147252/meta-invests-35-billion-in-worlds-largest-eye-wear-maker-in-ai-glasses-push
- Source link:
> Meta's investment in the eyewear giant deepens the relationship between the two companies, which have partnered over the past several years to develop AI-powered smart glasses. Meta currently sells a pair of Ray-Ban glasses, first debuted in 2021, with built-in cameras and an AI assistant. Last month, it launched separate Oakley-branded glasses with EssilorLuxottica. EssilorLuxottica Chief Executive Officer Francesco Milleri said last year that Meta was interested in taking a stake the company, but that plan hadn't materialized until now.
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> The deal aligns with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg's commitment to AI, which has become a top priority and major expense for the company. Smart glasses are a key part of that plan. While Meta has historically had to deliver its apps and services via smartphones created by competitors, glasses offer Meta a chance to build its own hardware and control its own distribution, Zuckerberg has said. The arrangement gives Meta the advantage of having more detailed manufacturing knowledge and global distribution networks, fundamental to turning its smart glasses into mass-market products. For EssilorLuxottica, the deal provides a deeper presence in the tech world, which would be helpful if Meta's futuristic bets pay off. Meta is also betting on the idea that people will one day work and play while wearing headsets or glasses.
[1] https://finance.yahoo.com/news/meta-invests-3-5-billion-191357907.html
From the 'investing-in-the-future-department...' (Score:3)
Really? Like having every moment of your life recorded, tracked, sold, monetized, and abused in any way possible is somehow the future?
This has been tried before. Microsoft tried similar with some wearable pendant years ago. It was a flop, and for good reason. The only reason to do this is to finally create the panopticon that these giant companies have always wanted, where a stream of literally every detail of your life is always coming in for them to abuse and monetize.
Good lord, kill this shit with fire.
Re:From the 'investing-in-the-future-department... (Score:4, Interesting)
I could really use some glasses that just subtitle what people are saying for me. No camera, no bluetooth, no memory. But of course they'll way-overdo it with all that stuff.
Re: (Score:2)
> This has been tried before. Microsoft tried similar with some wearable pendant years ago.
I was thinking more along the lines of [1]Google Glass [wikipedia.org]. At the time, some folks were genuinely concerned the concept might catch on and we'd have to deal with "glassholes" who constantly filmed everything.
All of these sorts of smart accessories seem to exist under some mistaken belief that people don't want to just use their smartphone to accomplish the same tasks.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Glass
Re: From the 'investing-in-the-future-department.. (Score:2)
What gets me is that if the data were actually used in a meaningful way, it could be revolutionary for people. If companies actually correlated things like sleep patterns along with habits, places visited, speech patterns, and socialization during the day, it really could change peoples lives and make for a deeper understanding to help people with their health, habits, social welfare, any number of things.
You could have an AI assistant that provides people for coaching needed to lose weight or to exercise o
Yeah, fuck that lizard (Score:2)
I don't really want Facebook in more of my life, let alone ALL of my life. I think I can hold out with a smartphone.
Re: (Score:2)
Luxottica is the cartel that's responsible for your glasses and contact lenses being expensive, even if you've never heard of them. Luxottica and Facebook are brands made for each other.
Great, more monopoly price manipulation. (Score:3)
Luxotica owns both Pearle Vision and LensCrafters, along with Ray-Ban, Oakley, and dozens of other brands they use to keep up the appearance there's any competition on the market.
They're why prescription glasses cost $400-$600 instead of $100.
If Meta wanted to make glasses they could buy up a smaller brand and invest a billion or so and make all the glasses they need. But clearly monopolists are attracted to each other, so...
Re: (Score:2)
It's really difficult to buy glasses in the US that aren't part of one of EssilorLuxottica's holdings.
Re: (Score:2)
You can get non-Luxottica eyeglasses at WalMart. If you want some basic black nylon frames they start at like $13.
Re: (Score:1)
I got glasses at Walmart once, in an emergency, while traveling.
They sucked so bad that I would have returned them if I had been able to do so.
What? (Score:2)
Warby Parker [1]https://www.warbyparker.com/ [warbyparker.com] Marcolin [2]https://www.marcolin.com/en/ [marcolin.com] Moscot: [3]https://moscot.com/ [moscot.com] The local chain I get my glasses from only have a handful of Luxotica kiosks, most are from other companies.
[1] https://www.warbyparker.com/
[2] https://www.marcolin.com/en/
[3] https://moscot.com/
Re: (Score:2)
Luxottica is an Italian fashion house. They're dominant in glasses because they're aware people will pay silly amounts for a brand name.
Facebook is, well, used to be, popular for a similar reason. And they reason their interest in Luxottica is because they're aware that almost nobody is going to pay silly amounts to put a pair of Facebook branded bricks on their face. They learned that from Google. But Ray Bans, Oakleys or Jimmy Choos....
Love the idea in theory (Score:2)
I have some memory issues - especially remembering people's names. I would love glasses that helped me with that. Unfortunately, such a device that is produced by any major tech company today is bound to be nothing but a hive of scum, villainy, and spyware syphoning away the remaining dregs of my privacy.
Re: (Score:2)
Also, if you had those glasses you'd be so distracted while driving you'd probably crash and end up in hospital....
Figures... protect yourself (Score:2)
They earned their billions through billions of eyeballs. So they doubled down by investing a few billions to squeeze yet more billions.
Are your eyes feeling the squeeze? Look away then, and gently cup the palms of our hand over your eyes like the see-no-evil monkey emoji.
Unscreen yourself every 15 minutes. (I'm logging off Slashdot now)
Re: (Score:2)
meta hasn't innovated anything ever. fb was just a lucky shot that went viral, and monetizing that isn't really innovative. otoh, forking money to the right person is what made rupert murdoch. his famous words: "my only skill is to know who to trust". otoh, yeah, i also believe they aren't rupert murdoch, they don't have a clue and are just fleeing forwards and will fail again, i'm just reflecting on your reflection.