Facebook’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced his plans to turn the platform into a metaverse a couple of months ago, leading to excitement in the social media world about what’s to come. As part of this announcement, the CEO also publicized Facebook’s partnership with glasses maker Ray-Ban. Today, the result of that partnership has surfaced in the form of ‘Ray-Ban Stores.’
Ray-Ban Stories, surprisingly, are not an addition to the ‘Stories’ that we see on every social media platform today. Instead, they are smart glasses, that have been made in partnership with Facebook, carrying the style statement that Ray-Ban glasses are known for. Standing at less than 50gms in weight, the glasses come with the lowest frame profile available on the market.
These glasses in come 3 classic Ray-Ban styles, with a number of color and lens combinations and are fully compatible with prescription lenses.
However, these glasses are not just your run of the mill Ray-Ban products. They have something ‘smart’ hidden in them, and this is where Facebook comes in. Ray-Ban Stories come with two 5MP cameras that can be used to capture photos and videos. Moreover, they will also allow users to listen to music and phone calls.
This also means that you will have to connect your phone to the glasses to avail all of its functionality.
The twin cameras will allow users to add 3D effects to their photos and videos once they upload them to the new View app from Facebook.
Users can use the capture button on the glass frame to start recording videos or take pictures. A touch pad on the right arm of the glasses will allow users to perform functions like swiping to adjust the volume or answering a phone call.
While they certainly qualify for the term ‘smart glasses’, the question is-Are they smart enough? Unfortunately, Ray-Ban stories do not come with an inbuilt display. This means that users will not be able to see digital augmented reality content, something that competitors already offer.
The glasses are also not water or splash proof.
Nonetheless, if you feel like Ray-Ban Stories, with its style profile and sleek form factor, are the right pick for you, you can grab them at $299.
