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Tech Giants Partner With Retailers As Smart Glasses Battle Heats Up
Forbes·2025-06-12 17:35

Core Insights - Major tech companies, including Google, Apple, Meta, and Snap, are competing in the smart glasses market, with a focus on leveraging retail stores to engage consumers [3][4]. - Google has committed up to $150 million to partner with Warby Parker to develop AI-powered smart glasses, with an initial investment of $75 million for product development [4][5]. - Warby Parker reported a nearly 12% year-over-year increase in Q1 net revenue, reaching $223.8 million, and achieved its first positive quarterly net income as a public company [6]. Group 1: Company Strategies - Google is following a retail strategy similar to Meta's by partnering with Warby Parker, aiming to utilize the latter's popular eyewear designs and retail presence [9][10]. - Meta's success with Ray-Ban smart glasses highlights the importance of stylish design and retail distribution in the smart glasses market [8][9]. - Snap plans to release a sixth generation of its augmented reality glasses, named Specs, which will be smaller and lighter than previous models [11][12]. Group 2: Market Developments - Apple is developing its own smart glasses, expected to launch around 2027, utilizing its existing store network for product introduction [13]. - The collaboration between Google and Warby Parker is expected to yield a series of products, with the first line anticipated to launch after 2025 [10].