There’s been talk of Meta’s so-called ‘Hypernova‘ smart glasses for months, and it looks like the speculation will be put to rest in the next few weeks. CNBC reports that the social media company is lining up two new sets of wearable eyewear for its September Connect conference.
One of these will be the specs named for a generic Marvel superhero. Or, you know, a galaxy-busting celestial event. That’s probably just Meta’s marketing department being hugely optimistic. Or is it?
Going Hypernova
The company’s Hypernova product has yet to appear in action, but the same sources that revealed its launch debut have provided a few details. The major tech feature is a small inset display in the right-hand lens, a concept that sounds… pretty familiar. Perhaps EssilorLuxottica, the company reportedly partnering with Meta on this, will release a Dragon Ball Z-themed model at close to the R14,000 ($800) price. Maybe cheaper, since it would only have one lens.
Other features of Hypernova, according to documents sourced from the US Customs and Border Patrol, include “[enabling] the user to take and share photos and videos, make phone calls and video calls, send and receive messages, listen to audio playback and interact with an AI assistant in different forms and methods, including voice, display, and manual interactions.” How accurate this is remains to be seen.
EssilorLuxottica handles several notable eyewear brands, including Ray-Ban. Ray-Ban currently partners with Meta for a less technical set of smart glasses. The new product’s September launch may continue the partnership, or it might rope in names like Oakley or one of the many luxury-branded specs that live under the Luxottica banner. You know, the kind that costs more because of the logo on the side.
Another device reportedly coming to Meta’s September Connect is a wristwatch that will help to control its smart eyewear. This wouldn’t be the first time the company has attempted a wrist-based wearable. Perhaps this one will see more success than previous efforts.
