Meta and Oakley have joined forces to launch a groundbreaking new line of Performance AI glasses, marking a significant expansion in Meta's smart eyewear portfolio. The newly unveiled Oakley Meta HSTN glasses, pronounced "HOW-stuhn," blend Oakley’s iconic design DNA with Meta’s cutting-edge AI technology, aiming to offer athletes and fans an innovative way to gain insights into their physical capabilities and capture their most memorable moments hands-free.
The announcement comes on the heels of the enormous success of Meta’s Ray-Ban Meta glasses, which have sold over two million units since their launch in October 2023. According to EssilorLuxottica, the parent company of both Ray-Ban and Oakley, production capacity for Meta’s smart glasses is set to ramp up to 10 million units annually by the end of 2026. Now, the partnership is broadening to include Oakley, a brand synonymous with performance and technical innovation, which feels like a natural next step for Meta's wearable ambitions.
Alex Himel, Meta’s Vice President of Wearables, explained the move, saying, “We launched our second generation of the Ray-Ban Meta glasses at Connect a year and a half ago, and they've taken off faster than we expected. But they were never meant to be the one and only thing we did with EssilorLuxottica.” The Oakley Meta HSTN glasses are designed to cater to more active and performance-oriented users, integrating the same Meta AI functionalities found in Ray-Ban Meta glasses but with enhanced features tailored for athletes.
The Oakley Meta HSTN glasses boast a robust battery life, offering up to eight hours of typical use—double that of the Ray-Ban Meta’s four-hour battery life. On standby, they can last up to 19 hours. Charging is impressively quick, reaching 50% capacity in just 20 to 22 minutes, and the included charging case provides up to 48 hours of on-the-go power, surpassing the Ray-Ban Meta case’s 36 hours. This extended battery life means users can capture more of their day without worrying about frequent recharging.
One of the standout upgrades is the camera system. The Oakley Meta HSTN features a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera capable of recording in 3K video, a significant leap from the 1080p full HD video capability of the Ray-Ban Meta glasses. This allows athletes to document their activities in stunning detail, whether they’re skiing down slopes, surfing waves, or skating urban parks. The camera is positioned on the side of the frame, accompanied by an LED privacy light that illuminates whenever the camera is active, ensuring transparency and user privacy.
Durability and comfort have been key considerations in the design. The frames use Oakley’s proprietary O-Matter material, which is 25% lighter and twice as strong as traditional acetate, providing a lightweight yet rugged feel suitable for high-intensity sports and outdoor use. The glasses also carry an IPX4 water resistance rating, meaning they can withstand splashing water, sweat, and rain, though they are not designed for submersion. Meta’s VP Himel noted that while the current rating suffices for most activities, the company is working towards achieving an IP67 rating for future iterations, which would allow for full water immersion—ideal for surfers and other water sport enthusiasts.
Visual performance is enhanced by Oakley’s renowned PRIZM lens technology, available on many models within the collection. These lenses fine-tune the light spectrum to amplify colors and reduce visual noise, providing athletes with clearer, more vibrant views during their activities. The HSTN line offers six different frame and lens combinations, including options with Prizm Ruby, Prizm Polar Black, and Transitions lenses, catering to various lighting conditions and personal preferences.
Integration with Meta AI is seamless, allowing users to interact with their glasses hands-free. Commands like “Hey Meta, take a video” or questions such as “Hey Meta, how strong is the wind today?” enable athletes to get real-time feedback and capture moments without interrupting their flow. The glasses also support music and podcast playback through open-ear Bluetooth speakers embedded in the frames, and feature five microphones to facilitate clear voice commands and phone calls. Users can also benefit from live translation features and accessibility tools, including the ability to connect to the Be My Eyes network for assistance from sighted volunteers.
Mark Zuckerberg highlighted the active design focus on social media, saying that athletes like Team Oakley member J.R. Smith can “record epic moments and post to Stories, hands-free,” blending performance with connectivity. The global marketing campaign launching the Oakley Meta HSTN features world-renowned athletes like World Cup winner Kylian Mbappé and three-time Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes, underscoring the glasses’ positioning at the intersection of sports and technology.
The limited-edition Oakley Meta HSTN, celebrating 50 years of Oakley, features gold 24K Prizm Polar lenses and gold accents. This exclusive version will be available for preorder starting July 11, 2025, at $499 USD. The broader collection will launch later in the summer, with prices starting at $399 USD. Availability spans across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Italy, Spain, Austria, Belgium, Australia, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Denmark, with plans to expand to Mexico, India, and the United Arab Emirates later in the year.
While the Oakley Meta HSTN glasses do not replace the Ray-Ban Meta line, they serve as a premium, performance-oriented offering for smart glasses enthusiasts and athletes. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported that a future Oakley Meta model, the Sphaera, featuring a centered camera on the frame’s bridge, is expected to launch later in 2025, promising further innovation in the space.
Meta’s collaboration with EssilorLuxottica is far-reaching, with plans to develop multi-generational smart eyewear products across several brands. As Alex Himel put it, “Glasses are a very personal choice. Different people pick different things, different brands, to represent who they are. So we will continue to launch more brands and more styles.”
With the Oakley Meta HSTN, Meta is not just expanding its smart glasses lineup—it’s redefining what smart eyewear can mean for athletes and active users. These glasses offer a compelling mix of style, technology, and durability, designed to keep up with the pace of modern sports while seamlessly integrating AI-powered assistance and connectivity.
As the AI glasses market heats up, with competitors like Google and Apple developing their own versions, Meta’s strategic partnership with EssilorLuxottica places it at the forefront of this emerging hardware category. And with innovations like the Oakley Meta HSTN, it’s clear that the future of smart glasses is not just about seeing the world differently—but about experiencing it in entirely new ways.
