Meta Platforms' latest artificial-intelligence push is giving Warby Parker stock a solid lift. The tech giant's big crusade into smart eyewear has further legitimized the space, sparking high interest that could bode well for Warby's coming smart glasses.
The lens maker's shares have jumped 17% since Meta said last week that its virtual reality glasses will launch next spring. Meta also unveiled updates to its smart glasses hardware last week, reigniting investor enthusiasm for the wearable AI eyewear industry.
Warby Parker stock jumped 10% to $27.20 Tuesday. This year, the stock climbed 26%, while the S&P has
Warby Parker has said it will release its smart glasses, dubbed Intelligent Wear, this fall in collaboration with Samsung and Alphabet-owned Google. The product will pair its frame design and prescription expertise with Samsung's hardware engineering and access to Google's virtual AI assistant Gemini.
The smart glasses will offer a range of features: Users can get real-time translations, navigate turn by turn, capture photos, stream music and podcasts, ask Gemini questions any time, and make calls, text, or book appointments.
The product differs from Meta's AI glasses because Samsung and Google will have control over their mobile device ecosystem, which will likely ensure easier communication between both pieces of hardware, especially when importing photos or videos.
Warby Parker's model was initially previewed at Google's annual software developer conference in May, then further showcased at Samsung's Galaxy Packed event in July.
Smart glasses have been quietly building momentum for some time. Last week, Meta presented updates to three versions of its smart glasses, including integrating its Muse AI assistant into the Ray-Ban Meta line. Apple is also preparing to enter the arena with its own smart eyewear. J.P. Morgan previously estimated that Apple could ship 50 million pairs of smart glasses by the end of the decade, generating more than $15 billion in revenue.
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