Facebook’s Smart Glasses Are Here | What You Need to Know About Ray-Ban Stories

Smart glasses haven’t really become a mainstream product (yet). Google’s already tried to make it happen, and Apple might be working on something similar – but it seems like Facebook might have taken the lead.

In a partnership with EssilorLuxottica, Facebook designed a new pair of smart glasses that are great for people who want to capture the world around them entirely from their point of view.

I know what you’re thinking. They’re elegant, intelligent, but creepy, right? Well, it seems Facebook took privacy seriously this time around. Here’s what you need to know!

What Are Ray-Ban Stories?

Ray-Ban Stories are the first-generation smart glasses made by Facebook in association with EssilorLuxottica, the company behind frames for Chanel, Oakley, and many more.

Unlike other smart glasses, the Ray-Ban Stories are mainly focused on social media and introduce a new way to capture photos and video, make calls, and listen to music throughout your day.

In addition, they make it easier to share to all of your favorite social media platforms, not just Facebook apps.

How Do Ray-Ban Stories Work?

Ray-Ban Stories use a dual 5MP camera system located at the edge of the glasses. You can press the capture button—or use Facebook Assistant voice commands—to take photos or videos of up to 30 seconds.

The Ray-Ban Stories also work to listen to music or make phone calls. Thanks to the built-in open-ear speakers and three microphone audio array, you can listen to your favorite tunes without bothering—or being bothered by—anybody. Plus, they also have Beamforming tech and a background noise suppression algorithm that’ll help reduce the noise around you.

You can link your Facebook account to the Ray-Ban Stories, but you’ll also need to use the new Facebook View app. Facebook View is the app that controls everything about your Ray-Ban Stories, from updating your smart glasses to creating and sharing videos with your friends and family. After you create a photo or video worth sharing, you can import it to many social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp, Facebook Messenger, Twitter, TikTok, Snapchat, and more. 

If you want, you can also save your content in your device’s camera roll so you can edit it without using the Facebook View app whenever you want. 

Ray-Ban Stories Technical Specifications

Ray-Ban Stories’ available memory isn’t the best, but it’s decent enough to store up to 500 pictures and up to 30 video clips of up to 30 seconds.

The battery is also great – Facebook says the Ray-Ban Stories can last up to three days on a single charge, which seems entirely possible since they don’t have many features running in the background, although they do access Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, so that may drain the battery faster.

If you want to use these smart glasses, you’ll need to have at least iOS 13 on your iPhone and Android 8.1 on your Android device. As we mentioned before, you’ll also need the Facebook View app installed. 

What About My Privacy?

Yes, a pair of smart glasses capable of recording videos and sharing them in a flash sounds a little creepy. In today’s day and age, it’s essential to keep one’s data and information as private as possible. But it seems like Facebook really thought about privacy when making the Ray-Ban Stories. At least, you know, according to Facebook.

These glasses have many security features that’ll make them safe for both users and bystanders. Every time someone uses the smart glasses to record something, a small LED light will flash on the Ray-Ban Stories. That way, people will know they’re being recorded. 

On top of that, Facebook also said that the Ray-Ban Stories wouldn’t be able to record automatically. You’ll need to purposely press the capture button or use a voice command to take a photo or record a video. The glasses also can’t share any type of content without your permission. 

The Ray-Bans also have a small switch you can flick to turn the glasses off, so you can still use them as regular glasses without worrying about recording something you didn’t want to.

The Facebook View app will also let you choose and customize how you want to use your glasses. That includes notifications, voice commands, and even what you want to share with Facebook.

Likewise, only one Facebook account can be linked to the Ray-Ban Stories at a time, so no one will be able to share your pictures on another account without your consent. Plus, they’ll need to use your login credentials to use the glasses, so your content is safe if you lose them.

These Are Awesome – Where Can I Get Them?

As of right now, the Ray-Ban Stories are available in six countries, including the U.S., Australia, Canada, Ireland, Italy, and the U.K. You can buy the Ray-Ban Stories for $299, and they come in a total of 20 different variations and five colors. They also have a wide range of lenses, including clear, sun, transition, and prescription. 

If you love the idea of having smart glasses, the Ray-Ban Stories are the first step to something bigger. We’re finally able to have an elegant pair of glasses that are also smart enough to capture your own world and perspective and instantly communicate with our friends and family.