If you’d told us in 2018 that the next emerging trend in tech would be sunglasses concealing little speakers… we’d probably have believed you. But we’re actually seeing the product category take off, with Anker the latest to get into the act with their upcoming Soundcore Frames.

The Soundcore Frames, in case the name doesn’t immediately smack you between the eyes, are a pair of glasses with audio gear packed into the bows. You stick ’em on and, according to Anker, you stand to benefit from “surround” sound, thanks to their design.

Spiffy Soundcore Frames

One of Anker’s selling points here is its speaker configuration — there are little drivers both in front of and behind your ears, which should theoretically give you a fuller sound. The company’s also got leak-reduction and a private listening mode, in case you’re listening to voice notes or a sensitive conversation in public.

But that’s beside the main point. The Soundcore Frames are being pitched as modular audio glasses. There are several choices of lens, from prescription to sunglasses to blue-light-blocking, and there are also ten different styles of frame available. These are a relatively affordable $50 (R750) each, with the tech-filled bows detaching and attaching between them fairly easily.

Just don’t expect to have them keep you company on a marathon — they’ve got a 5.5-hour battery life between charges, but a ten-minute charge will supposedly get you back in action for another hour and thirty. They’re IPX4 rated and should do for workout sessions, but you might want to avoid driving rain.

The Soundcore Frames are currently available for pre-order and will cost $200 (R3,000) when they launch in November. Local availability isn’t known but Bose brought its Frames into the country — there’s no reason to believe Anker won’t do the same in South Africa.