Meta’s next generation of smart specs looks more and more like a hybrid style-tech proposition, with the eyes turned towards a potential partnership on augmented reality glasses with fashion brand Prada. If the partnership comes with a display of its own, neural wrist controls, and if the Prada frames can out-style and out-spec those popular Ray‑Ban models that helped put Meta’s smart glasses on the map.
Why Prada changes the equation
Prada offers something that Meta wants — frame volume and fashion credibility. The bold, thick-rimmed silhouettes à la Linea Rossa’s ready the real estate to hide batteries, speakers, cameras, radios and a microdisplay without screaming I HAVE A GADGET ON MY FACE.” That matters because comfort and concealment are the two most difficult parts of consumer AR.
There’s also a distribution and manufacturing advantage. Prada eyewear falls under the umbrella of EssilorLuxottica, which also owns Ray‑Ban and Oakley. CNBC reported that Meta’s closer tie-up was to be with EssilorLuxottica, which would simplify supply chain, retail footprint and design iteration. Luxury brands have helped to normalize new categories in the past — early Tag Heuer Wear OS watches are a prime example of this, with fashion helping make the road to adoption that much smoother.
What “next‑gen” likely means
Expect two tracks. 1) An updated Ray‑Ban model around audio and capture, on-device AI,”tweaks to battery life” and microphones, a shift towards “higher quality cameras”, at an affordable price. Second, a new fancier pair with an actual color display in one lens and underlying codenames as numerous (if not more so) as the ones connected to Facebook’s initial AR glasses, including “Hypernova” or “Celeste.” Reports from publications such as The Information and DigiTimes indicate the display model could come in around that upper-midrange price, above what Ray‑Bans sell for.
On a technical level, it seems likely the frames would conceal an ultra-small-waveguide and either a microLED or LCoS projector in its temple, speakers in its arms, plus a more sophisticated sensor stack for context-aware experiences. Meta has relied on Qualcomm’s low-power AR silicon for previous glasses, and such a chip would be likely employed in devices like these to mitigate heat and battery draw. “It’s a crazy design challenge,” he added, with the goal being to come in under about 60 grams, hit all-day comfort and to suppress the optical “rainbowing” and glare in waveguides enough to deliver a bright image outdoors.
The neural wristband — and the smartwatch turn
It’s all about the secret sauce of gesture controls. Meta’s electromyography wrist tech — which comes from its CTRL‑Labs purchase and internally is called a neural wristband — reads small electrical signals from your forearm to interpret delicate finger movements as clicks and swipes. It’s more personal than voice and faster than mid-air handwaving, so it was perfect for glanceable AR.
Here’s the practical wrinkle: it’s easier to justify a wristband if it is part of a watch. Supply chain sources speaking to DigiTimes suggest that Meta is looking into a smartwatch that would combine the neural interface with health and notification functions. That would be a convenient home for controls of glasses and even serve as a low-latency input for Quest headsets to make the wrist an all-purpose controller across Meta’s family of products.
Style sells, but comfort keeps users
Looks are only half the battle, though. Daily wear is driven by heat, weight balance and battery life. Bose Frames looked excellent but never offered a compelling reason to wear them. Ray‑Ban Meta glasses did: They concealed compute in recognizable eyewear, complete with a credible camera and decent microphones. A Prada chassis provides Meta with more “temple volume” for batteries and thermal spreaders, mitigating hotspots near the ears while increasing runtime without burdening the bridge.
Privacy signaling will matter, too. Clear recording LEDs, default settings with more teeth and retail staff training were all lessons learned from previous smart glasses. IDC analysts expect extended reality wearables to recover into prolonged double‑digit growth, but consumer AR eyewear uptake will depend on devices like these looking and feeling socially acceptable in coffee shops, offices, and transit—spaces where Prada’s design language could grease the wheels of culture clash.
What it means for Ray‑Ban
Do not look for Prada to replace Ray‑Bans; look for portfolio strategy. Ray‑Bans are the mass-market capture-and-AI couple: they’re lighter, cheaper and iconic. Prada would be the “display class,” targeted at early adopters who want glanceable navigation, translations, and contextual overlays. Leaks suggest this will include Ray‑Bans in a mid-price bracket with the display model at a premium – classic good–better–best merchandising that expands the funnel without cannibalizing volume.
Bottom line
If Meta combines Prada’s daring frames with a bright, understated display and a wrist-mounted neural interface that functions wherever you wouldn’t speak to your glasses, it may establish the standard for consumer AR. The Ray‑Ban series made smart glasses sexy; Prada’s version could make them an inexorable accessory.
