News

Oakley And Meta Reveal Performance-Focused AI Smart Glasses

The AI-powered wearables are designed for athletes, combining voice control, hands-free capture, and enhanced optics.

Published

4 weeks ago

June 23, 2025

oakley and meta reveal performance-focused ai smart glasses

Meta has partnered with Oakley to launch a new line of wearable devices under the “Oakley Meta” brand, blending Oakley’s sports-focused design with Meta’s voice-enabled, AI-powered tech. The first product, called Oakley Meta HSTN, is aimed at athletes and active users looking for hands-free access to information, media, and recording tools.

Positioned as a continuation of Meta’s expansion into wearables — following the Ray-Ban Meta line — the new collaboration adds a performance angle, with features tailored to sport and outdoor environments. Oakley Meta HSTN includes an embedded camera for video capture, open-ear speakers for audio playback, and integration with Meta’s voice assistant for hands-free prompts and queries.

Battery life is reportedly extended, with up to eight hours of typical use and 19 hours on standby. A dedicated charging case provides up to 48 hours of total use. Video quality is also upgraded, with support for 3K resolution, offering more detail than the previous 1080p standard found in earlier Meta glasses.

The glasses are IPX4-rated for water resistance and will be available in multiple frame and lens combinations, some featuring Oakley’s PRIZM lens technology, which enhances contrast and clarity by selectively filtering light. Prescription-ready models are also available.

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Voice features are powered by Meta’s on-device assistant. Users can initiate commands such as checking wind speeds, asking sport-related questions, or capturing footage via voice prompts. The assistant is designed to respond to real-time queries without needing to access a separate device.

While the launch is backed by a marketing campaign featuring athletes such as Kylian Mbappé and J.R. Smith, the product is also part of a wider strategic push by Meta and EssilorLuxottica to expand connected eyewear into more specialized use cases. Availability begins in July with a limited edition model, followed by a full rollout later in the year.

News

Saudi EV Adoption Accelerates With BYD Expansion & Tesla Launch

Saudi Arabia’s EV market is gaining momentum as BYD plans major showroom growth and Tesla establishes a foothold in Riyadh.

Published

2 days ago

July 16, 2025

Nour Nasir

saudi ev adoption accelerates with byd expansion and tesla launch

Saudi Arabia’s ambitions to become a regional hub for electric mobility are drawing greater investment from global automakers. As part of Vision 2030, the Kingdom is targeting 30% electric vehicle (EV) adoption in the capital, Riyadh, by the end of the decade — an objective that’s now shaping the strategic interests of international EV brands.

Chinese manufacturer BYD is planning a substantial thrust into the Saudi market, building on its current footprint of three showrooms. According to Jerome Saigot, BYD’s managing director in the Kingdom, the company aims to open 10 showrooms by the end of 2026.

“Saudi Arabia is a complex market. You need to go fast. You need to think big,” Saigot recently told reporters. “We are not here to stay at 5,000 or 10,000 cars a year”.

The announcement follows Tesla’s entry into the Saudi EV space, with the US automaker opening its first showroom in Riyadh in April. Tesla joins early players like BYD and Geely in what remains a nascent but strategically important segment for the Kingdom.

The Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) has also ramped up its electric mobility agenda. Its efforts include major investments in Lucid Motors, the creation of local EV brand Ceer, and support for the rollout of national charging infrastructure.

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However, electric vehicles still only account for just over 1% of total car sales in Saudi Arabia, according to data from PwC cited by Bloomberg. Key challenges include high upfront costs, limited public charging access, and the added complexity of operating in extreme heat conditions.

In spite of those hurdles, Saigot views Tesla’s entry as a net positive. “The more Tesla communicates on marketing, the better it is for us,” he said. Saigot joined BYD in April, having previously held executive roles at Nissan and Great Wall Motor.

With multiple brands scaling up activity in parallel — and government-backed infrastructure investment underway — Saudi Arabia’s EV sector appears set for rapid acceleration over the next few years.