Facebook’s Ray-Ban Sunglasses Are Built For Social Media Influencers

Ray-Ban Stories is a product of the partnership between Facebook and EssilorLuxottica. For $299 USD you get a pair of sunglasses with dual 5MP cameras fitted into the frame to capture images and up to 30-second videos. The temples have built-in, open-ear speakers and three-microphone audio array for clearer voice and sound transmission for calls and video.

Credit: Facebook

Facebook believes that these new sunglasses will allow its users to produce content from their own perspective for a more interesting take on moments they’d like to share with friends and followers. An LED lights up on the frame to indicate when it’s recording. There’s also beamforming technology and a background noise suppression algorithm to improve call quality.

Facebook says:

“From the start, we designed Ray-Ban Stories with privacy in mind, adding numerous built-in features to provide control and peace of mind to both device owners and bystanders.”

If you’re still worried about the privacy aspect of things, take a look at the company’s privacy information. It also provides guidelines for responsible use of these sunglasses. You can learn more about Ray-Ban Stories here.

The social media giant believes that its new product will help users do the following:

“A new way to capture photos and video, share your adventures and listen to music or take phone calls — so you can stay present with friends, family and the world around you.”

The Ray-Ban Stories can be paired with the new Facebook View app to share stories and memories with friends and social media followers. It’s available on iOS and Android to let users import, edit and share content captured on these “smart glasses”. Recording content can be done manually or via the voice activated Facebook Assistant.

Everything that you capture can be shared on Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, Twitter, TikTok, Snapchat and several others. The app also comes with exclusive post-capture enhancements to help users create unique content with their own spin.

Ray-Ban Stories are available in 20 variations for classic Ray-Ban styles – Wayfarer, Wayfarer Large, Round and Meteor. They also come in five colors with a range of lenses including clear, sun, transition and prescription. They will be made available to purchase in select retail stores in the US, as well as Australia, Canada, Ireland, Italy and the UK. Learn more about them at Ray-Ban Stories.