Well it seems like Mark Zuckerberg’s dream of being the monopoly of high-tech smart glasses is now being put in a body bag. 

The billionaire who weirdly bought a $100 million apocalyptic compound (for God knows what), has been riding high with his cozied up partnership with Ray-Ban maker, Essilor Luxottica, as he’s about to pull the trigger on a $5 billion investment for 5% of the company. But in a tale that reminds us that no one is safe from crap hitting the fan, Google has swept in as the ringmaker of the chaos. Shocker…

(Source: Giphy) 

According to reports, Google appears it’s not satisfied with already knowing all of our dirty little secrets, and is aiming to partner with EssilorLuxottica, in order to integrate their Gemini AI assistant into the next generation of smart glasses - potentially putting Meta's Ray-Ban collaboration in a death spiral. 

(Source: The Verge) 

As most of you already know, Meta and EssilorLuxottica have been working together to combine advanced tech with stylish eyewear. Think Zuckerberg’s zero to hero fashion glow up.

(Source: Hindu Times) 

Their Ray-Ban smart glasses, after a slow start, have been gaining traction, with recent sales outpacing the initial launch. Whereas, like we mentioned in one of our previous articles, EssilorLuxottica's CEO, Francesco Milleri, has boasted about this success in Milan, and Meta's CTO, Andrew Bosworth, echoed the positive sentiment, calling the glasses a "much bigger hit than we anticipated."

(Source: Mixed) 

But now, Google is stepping into the ring as Sundar Pichai & Co. believe that glasses are a better platform for their advanced AI than smartphones. Basically saying that smartphones are old news and AI is better suited on your face than in your pocket. 

(Source: 9 to 5) 

Again, Google’s spontaneous decision to damper Zucks mood is happening at the same time Meta is planning to invest $4.73 billion to keep the Essilor partnership more exclusive while boosting Zuck’s enormous metaverse goals. But just like Jack and Rose’s love blossomed right before the Titanic sank, Google has decided to play the role of the dreaded iceberg. 

(Source: LinkedIn) 

Now of course, with two heavyweights like Google and Meta getting in a pissing match over something like this, you’d think the company in the middle would be one helluva catch - however, EssilorLuxottica has been facing its own set of challenges with global inflation and rising costs, impacting their profit margins. So while the current smart glasses haven't been a drag on profits, the situation is becoming a bit stressful. 

So with that, EssilorLuxottica faces a crucial decision. They can either stick with Meta exclusively (which has already staked its claim as the leader of the smart glass industry) or explore partnerships with multiple tech companies while biting the hand that feeds them. No pressure Lux… 

(Source: Giphy) 

Obviously, Meta has a track record with EssilorLuxottica. And unlike Google's previous partnership with Luxottica for Google Glass, which didn't pan out well,  Zuckerberg is determined to avoid a repeat of that scenario, leveraging EssilorLuxottica's expertise in creating desirable eyewear that already appeals to the hyped up Ray-Ban brand. 

(Source: 9 to 5) 

Meanwhile, Google has shifted its strategy, focusing to leverage EssilorLuxottica, to make Gemini AI shine through stylish eyewear rather than smartphones. Which is understandable since Apple has already disrupted the tech landscape with its Apple Vision Pros. 

(Source: Business Insider) 

So in order to keep the pace with competition, Google is willing to plow through any barricade in order to be the tech giant to lead the smart glasses arena. Sucks to suck, Zuck…

Now of course, nothing is set and stone yet, but the situation is definitely comical and something to keep an eye on. Regardless of what Essilor Luxottica ends up doing, stock prices can and will likely be impacted upon the news (whatever it may be). 

(Source: Giphy) 

So stay on the lookout, and be prepared. The battle of tech nerds smart eyewear supremacy is just beginning, and it’s only going to continue heating up. 

Stocks.News holds positions in Apple, Google, and Meta Platforms as mentioned in the article.