Facebook has been working to develop augmented reality, smart glasses out of its Facebook Reality Labs in Redmond, Washington, for the past couple of years, but struggles with the development of the project have led the company to seek help.

Now, Facebook is hoping a partnership with Ray-Ban parent company Luxottica will get them completed and ready for consumers between 2023 and 2025, according to people familiar.

The smart glasses are internally codenamed Orion, and they are designed to replace smartphones, the people said. The glasses would allow users to take calls, show information to users in a small display and live-stream their vantage point to their social media friends and followers.

Facebook is not alone in believing that smart glasses that superimpose computer-generated images over the real world will be the next big thing in computing. Already, Microsoft makes the HoloLens 2 headset, Snapchat parent company Snap sells its Spectacles glasses and Florida startup Magic Leap sells its Magic Leap One AR glasses, although none of these devices has become a hit. Apple is also reportedly working on a similar product that could hit the market as early as next year.

Luxottica is the parent company of Ray-Ban, Oakley and other sunglasses brands. The company has previously experimented with this technology, partnering in 2014 with Google to design, develop and distribute the Google Glass device.

In addition, the company has experimented with a ring device that would allow users to input information via motion sensor. That device is code-named Agios.

About Ray Ban

Style, tradition, and freedom of expression are the key values underpinning the philosophy of Ray-Ban, which has been the undisputed world leader in sun and prescription eyewear for generations. Unaffected by the conceptual transience of fashion, Ray-Ban made a name for itself thanks to the absolute quality and authenticity of its eyewear.

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