Meta memo acknowledges limited usage of Ray-Ban Stories smart glasses
Regardless of how successful a tech company may be with certain products, there is always at least one device that fails to meet expectations upon its release. Amazon faced this with its short-lived Fire phone, and now Meta is experiencing a similar situation with various products, including the Metaverse and its smart sunglasses, Ray-Ban Stories, which reportedly lack interest. An internal Meta document, reviewed by The Wall Street Journal, reveals that less than ten percent of Ray-Ban Stories users regularly utilize the product.
Ray-Ban sold around 300,000 glasses between their launch in September 2021 and February 2023 – when Meta made the report. At the time, there were only 27,000 monthly active users, and the company cited problems such as poor connectivity and battery life issues. Yes, these people have already bought the sunglasses, so that’s something for business, but low retention doesn’t exactly inspire confidence in continued sales. Meta’s Reality Labs division, which includes the Ray-Ban partnership, is also not doing well, with a loss of nearly $8 million in the first half of 2023.
Still, even if the numbers are weak, Meta will release a new generation of Ray-Ban Stories either in the fall or in the spring. The new glasses will apparently have improved battery life and cameras, and will be more available than the current three sunglass models. While the first generation is available for $299, there is no word yet on pricing for the next version of Ray-Ban Stories.
