Alright, let’s dive into this whirlwind of eyewear economics…
So picture this: EssilorLuxottica — a mouthful, right? — just dropped their second-quarter earnings. And guess what? Those Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, you know, the ones that do the whole music, photo, video, and Internet thing (hello, future!), have apparently tripled their revenue compared to last year. Tripled! That’s, like, going from zero to sixty in… wait, wrong metaphor, but you get it.
These glasses came out in 2023. Not that long ago, if you think about it. And now? They’re starting at 300 bucks. Not exactly pocket change, but considering they’ve spurred Meta to extend their partnership with EssilorLuxottica to 2030? Sounds like chump change for a smart move. Oh, and throw in a casual $3.5 billion investment into this French-Italian powerhouse. No biggie. Or is it?
I mean, why wouldn’t they be doing well? People love gadgets! And these aren’t just gadgets; they’re something like glasses from The Jetsons. Yep, pop on those shades and boom, you’re in a sci-fi movie. That’s if sci-fi movies had boomers testing out smart eyewear while riding their e-scooters around the park. Not judging, just imagining the scene.
Oh, and there’s a picture too — the glasses look like normal Ray-Bans, but with a secret superhero power. Photo op, anyone? And the caption says something about it being courtesy of Meta and EssilorLuxottica. Props for sharing, I guess.
Anyway—or, hang on, before I forget—the earnings bit. Their AI glasses have gained what they call ‘traction’. I mean, they sold like hotcakes, except we don’t actually know how many. But back in February, they said something about selling 2 million units since ‘23. That’s a lot of people walking around, looking like they’re secretly filming a documentary.
And get this, they’re not even counting the Oakley Meta HTSN. Fancy name, eh? These bad boys are up for pre-order at $500 if you’re feeling lavish. Limited Edition and all. Hey, if something says ‘Limited Edition’, it’s probably important. Right? Or just a good marketing gimmick.
The big bosses, Francesco and Paul, gave a nod to their robust growth—5.5% to be precise, bringing in €14 billion, even though the economic weather is as unpredictable as my cat on a treadmill. US tariffs and a wobbling dollar might mess with things, but they’re trucking along.
Sure sounds like an adventure in the world of techy eyewear. Or maybe I need a pair to believe it all myself.
