Meta Platforms Inc. is reportedly developing Oakley-branded smart glasses for athletes and is also exploring new wearable devices.

According to Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, along with Oakley-branded smart glasses, Meta’s devices group, Reality Labs, is also planning to release new high-end glasses with a built-in display late this year. Also on the development list are said to be other products that would compete with Apple Inc.’s smartwatch and Airpods.

Gurman also claims that the company is making headway on its first true augmented reality product, a “holy grail for the tech industry,” set for release around 2027. The reference seemingly refers to Orion, which Meta unveiled a prototype of in September and are glasses that aim to overlay digital information onto the physical world.

Orion glasses are expected to feature advanced capabilities such as holographic projections, enhanced spatial awareness and the ability to interact with virtual objects in real time. Should Meta pull the glasses off, they could arguably revolutionize how users engage with both digital and physical environments.

Gurman also reports that 2025 will also see Meta launch a new higher-end offering that uses a design that’s closer to the current Ray-Ban glasses. Said to be known internally as “Hypernova,” the model will include a display on the bottom portion of the right lens that projects information into a user’s field of view and may retail for about $1,000.

Meta has a longstanding relationship with EssilorLuxottica SA, the world’s largest eyewear maker which makes Oakleys and Raybans, with Raybans at the core of Meta’s current smart glasses. It was also reported in July that Meta was in talks to acquire a minority stake in EssilorLuxottica.

Where some of the claims are surprising is that Meta might be looking into delving into Apple territory with smart earbuds and watches.

While Meta has positioned itself to be at the forefront of virtual and augmented reality products, smartwatches and earbuds are another matter and general consumer products are something Meta has not always done well at, in particular, the Facebook Phone over a decade ago.

A decade is a long time in tech and Meta will have learned lessons from the Facebook Phone, but still, creating general consumer tech that can find a big audience is not easy. Google’s small market share of the smartphone and tablet market through its Pixel products is one example. If Google struggles to sell hardware, Meta will likely struggle as well.

Image: Meta