EssilorLuxottica and Applied Materials have signed a long-term joint development agreement, which the companies say will accelerate the commercialization of next-gen optical systems for AR and AI-powered smart glasses.

EssilorLuxottica has been a close partner with Meta over the past five years, having released multiple generations of Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses in addition to its first pair of display glasses, Meta Ray-Ban Display.

Now the Franco-Italian eyewear brand announced it’s partnering with Applied Materials, the US-based semiconductor equipment giant, to scale optics for consumer AR and smart glasses of the near future.

Details of the partnership are still thin on the ground, however the companies are slated to collaborate on R&D at a dedicated lab located on Applied Materials’ Silicon Valley campus, which is said to focus on advanced optical technologies, including waveguides, adaptive lens systems, and materials innovations.

“Designing, building and scaling next-generation smart glasses will require deep collaboration across the technology ecosystem,” said Gary Dickerson, President and CEO of Applied Materials. “By bringing together Applied Materials’ leadership in photonics and materials engineering with EssilorLuxottica’s expertise in lenses and smart eyewear, we are accelerating the development and commercialization of advanced display smart glasses that can create entirely new user experiences.”

Note: In general, waveguides are important because they allow for a lightweight, glasses-like form factors and transparent lenses, which come in contrast to birdbath optics, which tend to allow for a larger field-of-view (FOV), higher image quality, and greater optical efficiency, but at the cost of being bulkier overall and less discrete.

On the flipside, today’s generation of waveguides tend to suffer from lower light efficiency, requiring brighter, more energy-hungry source displays. They also tend to have a lower FOV than birdbath optics (see: XREAL Aura) and a smaller eyebox.

While still unconfirmed, optics manufacturers SCHOTT and Lumus are widely thought to be the manufacturers behind Meta’s Ray-Ban Display glasses. It’s unclear at this time whether this means EssilorLuxottica is looking to develop its own AR hardware relationships separate from Meta, although the competitive landscape is rapidly changing.

In late 2024, EssilorLuxottica and Meta announced they were extending their smart eyewear partnership to 2030, however since then Google announced it was partnering with a cadre of companies, including Samsung, as well as eyewear brands Gentle Monster, Warby Parker, and Kering.

And as the first wave of Android XR-clad smart glasses are expected to release sometime later this year, Apple is also reportedly working on its own smart glasses, as the company has allegedly accelerated its efforts amid a wider push for AI wearables.

More recently, Snap unveiled its first consumer pair of AR glasses, the sixth-gen Snap Specs, which are set to release sometime this fall for $2,200. The latest Snap Specs are said to feature a 51-degree FOV, although we’re still hoping to not only demo the company’s next big bet on AR, but also see the full specs sheet, which ought to include info on some outlying basics, such as resolution, brightness, and refresh rate.

To learn more about the difference between smart glasses and AR glasses, check out our handy primer.

At Augmented World Expo (AWE) this week, digital imaging giant Canon showed off its latest advancements in XR tech, including a concept handheld mixed reality device, augmented reality waveguide optics, and a new XR collaboration software suite.

Canon has been working in the XR enterprise space for some time now, having developed multiple generations of its MREAL mixed reality headsets.

Now, the company is showing off at AWE its so-called “Concept Model of a Pocket-Size, High-Image-Quality MR Device,” which basically does what it says on the tin: it’s a tethered, portable MR concept device that’s said to deliver high-definition visual performance and and offer “seamless compatibility with XR applications.”

While Canon isn’t taking specs just yet, by the sounds of it the company is hoping to actually release the device at some point, as Canon says the concept model is currently under development, albeit “not yet available for purchase.” Canon says it is however actively seeking partners to potentially bring it to market.

Notably, these sorts of handheld viewers are fairly popular in the enterprise space in Japan, although it’s actually being demoed by Canon’s US-based division at AWE this week, which might also mean we may see it outside of the parent company’s Japanese homeland at some point.

Canon also showed off its “High-Efficiency Waveguide for AR Glasses,” which again is another patently Canon-style naming scheme. The company says it’s developed a high-efficiency waveguide prototype for AR glasses, shown off in two specific configurations: one with a mircoLED display and another with microOLED.

The optical glass waveguides promise a 30-degree field-of-view (FOV), an optical coupling efficiency exceeding 15,000 nits/lm, and over 85% transmittance. Those specs may suggest Canon is optimizing its concept waveguides for smart glasses or lightweight, less immersive AR glasses, as the FOV is decidedly on the lower end of the range.

Additionally, Canon announced it’s getting ready to release MREAL Collaborator, the company’s latest XR software created to appeal to designers in the manufacturing industry.

Canon says it allows users without specialized 3D computer graphics expertise to easily operate the system and manipulate spatial data. Notably, MREAL Collaborator is compliant with OpenXR, so users can easily share across different supported XR devices and remote locations. The company says a free trial of MREAL Collaboration is slated to launch in early July. You can sign up here for more information.

Snap today unveiled its first pair of standalone AR glasses intended for consumers, which the company says will pack in a variety of features, including AI assistance, entertainment, and productivity tools.

Snap showed off its latest pair of AR glasses today at Augmented World Expo (AWE) 2026, technically making it the sixth generation device to sport the ‘Specs’ name.

Like the fifth-gen Specs released in 2024, Specs don’t require an external compute puck or tethered connection to external devices, as the glasses pack in two Qualcomm Snapdragon processors—one dedicated to computer vision and another for running AR experiences, or “Lenses,” as the company calls them.

The AR glasses feature Snap’s proprietary liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS) display tech, offering a 51-degree field-of-view (FOV) and 16 million colors. Notably, that 51-degree FOV is said to provide a 30% larger display area than fifth-gen Specs.

There’s still no word on a few other key specs however, including resolution, brightness, refresh rate, RAM/storage sizes, camera specs, wireless standards, water resistance rating, and actual mAh battery capacity. You can see a more condensed spec sheet at the bottom of the article with everything we know so far.

What we do know however is Snap is hoping users don’t just stay indoors for room-scale AR interactions, as Specs come with electrochromic lenses that can transition from clear to tinted in 10 seconds, the company says, noting its displays can deliver 7-millisecond motion-to-photon latency. Additionally, a Snap spokesperson told Road to VR Specs are “designed to work outside and inside.”

As it is, Specs are rated to deliver up to four hours of “mixed-use” battery life, with an included charging case extending total usage to around 20 hours, putting it fairly close to the “all-day” device category.

Built from Swiss TR90 polymer, Specs are also slated to come in two sizes, weighing 132 grams and 136 grams respectively, making them essentially 40% lighter than the fifth-gen version. Prescription inserts are also supported, and will include multiple nose pads for better individual fit, Snap tells Road to VR.

Snap also emphasized privacy features, including on-device processing, permission prompts for sensitive information, and an LED indicator when recording is active.

The company says developers have already created hundreds of experiences for Specs, ranging from golf guidance and educational applications to immersive historical experiences. New development tools announced today include agentic development support in Lens Studio through integrations with Claude Code, Codex, and Cursor, as well as a new Native Development Kit.

While it seems users will be able to find a good number of AR Lenses, Snap ostensibly hopes one of its biggest draws will be AI integration.

“With SPECS, AI isn’t limited to a text box. It can see what you see, understand what you’re trying to accomplish, and help in the moment,” the company says. “That means guidance can appear exactly where it’s needed, information can be connected to the objects and places around you, and developers can build experiences that respond intelligently to the real world in real time. We believe AI and augmented reality are a natural fit because both help people better understand and interact with the world around them. Of course, technology like this only works when people trust it.”

We still haven’t had a chance to experience the latest iteration of Specs, as the company is using AWE as a venue for a general announcement, and not media demos as such.

In any case, we expect to hear a lot more about Specs between now and its fall shipping window. In the meantime, customers across the US, UK, and France can now pre-order for $2,195 ($200 refundable deposit).

SPECS (sixth-gen) Specs

Field of View	51°
Color Reproduction	16 million colors
Lens Type	Electrochromic (auto-tinting)
Tint Transition	10 seconds
Processors	Dual Qualcomm Snapdragon chips
Motion-to-Photon Latency	7 ms
Battery Life	Up to 4 hours mixed use, 20 hours with case
Input	Hand tracking
Material	TR90 polymer
Sizes	47 mm and 52 mm
Weight	132 g (47 mm), 136 g (52 mm)
Prescription Support	Removable prescription inserts
Display Technology	LCoS
Connectivity Features	Bluetooth notifications
Privacy Features	On-device processing, recording indicator LED
Price	$2,195 USD
Availability	Shipping expected Fall 2026
Launch Markets	US, UK, France

Raven Resonance is showing off its upcoming smart glasses, Raven Prism, which aim to stay with users all day long thanks to a unique hot-swappable battery system.

The San Francisco-based startup is publicly demoing Raven Prism for the first time today at Augmented World Expo (AWE) starting today, which is taking place June 16th – 18th in Long Beach, California.

Planned to launch later this year, Raven Prism—or what the company calls an “ambient computer”—offers more than just a handy hot-swappable battery system, which the company says lets users replace without interrupting apps or requiring shutdowns and reboots.

The glasses are also slated to pack in a feature set rarely seen in smart glasses today. Running RavenOS, the company’s 64-bit Linux-based operating system, Raven Prism features a full-color LCoS display delivered through a single waveguide in the right eye, integrated eye tracking for hands-free interaction, and an onboard camera with visible capture light that also includes a physical privacy cover.

And privacy is a major focus for the company.

“Privacy is a foundational design principle of Raven Prism,” the company says. “Eye control data is processed locally on the device, no user data is transmitted off-device without explicit user consent and core AI capabilities are designed to run locally whenever possible. Unlike many connected wearables that rely heavily on cloud infrastructure, Raven Prism was designed to perform as much computation as possible locally, keeping user data under the user’s control and reducing dependence on remote infrastructure. Raven Resonance believes privacy should be enforced through hardware and software architecture rather than policies.”

Unlike many smart glasses that rely on a tethered smartphone, Raven Prism is a standalone device powered by an onboard quad-core 64-bit ARM processor and will be available in multiple RAM configurations. The device natively supports Linux ARM64 applications and SSH access, positioning it as a more open and dev-friendly platform than most consumer smart glasses.

It’s also set to ship with more than 25 applications, also providing low-level access to the OS, creating a flexible platform, which the company says is being targeted at creative professionals, makers, developers and enterprise users.

“For decades, the personal computer has been confined to a desk, a pocket or a bag,” Raven Resonance co-founder and CEO Thomas Suarez says. “We believe the next era is ambient computing—technology that remains available when you need it, while staying out of the way when you don’t. Raven Prism gives users a powerful, open computing platform they can access hands-free throughout the day—from Claude Code to creative applications and more. Put simply, Raven Prism is not a pair of smart glasses: it is a powerful, privacy-first eye-controlled Linux computer that happens to take the form of eyewear.”

The company plans to officially launch Raven Prism later in 2026, with additional details regarding availability, pricing, and developer programs to be announced closer to launch.

Snapchat parent Snap is nearing the long-awaited reveal of Specs, its next pair of AR glasses, as the company says we should keep our eyes peeled come June 16th.

Specs Inc, the company’s new XR subsidiary, showed off a (very) brief glimpse of the device via Instagram on Friday, which notably included “06.16” at the end.

The company additionally confirmed it’s publicly revealing the device on the June 16th at Augmented World Expo (AWE), which has become a prime venue for XR announcements over the past few years. AWE goes from June 15th – 18th, taking place in Long Beach, California.

Notably, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel is also set to deliver a keynote there, titled ‘Making Computing More Human‘, making it a fairly certain we’ll hear more about the company’s expectations for its next pair of AR glasses, set to be its sixth-gen device.

The fifth-gen Specs (seen below) were released in 2024 primarily for developers, ostensibly making its sixth-gen the first from the company specifically targeted at consumers.

And while we don’t know the specs behind Specs just yet, the company says it’s emphasizing the device’s built-in AI, something that “uses its understanding of you and your world to help get things done on your behalf while protecting and respecting your privacy.”

The reveal of Specs does come amid some turbulence though. In April, Snap laid off around 1,000 employees and closed hundreds of open roles. Layoffs haven’t largely affected Specs Inc however, which was spun up in January to allow the company to form new partnerships, have more capital flexibility, and, more importantly, insulate its AR business.

This follows Snap’s acquisiton of Illumix, a spatial mapping company and developers behind Five Nights at Freddy’s AR: Special Delivery (2019), which is said to boost the company’s AR efforts.

According to video discovered in Pico’s public SDK, it appears the company’s next flagship headset has just been leaked.

Trusted data miner and serial leaker Luna was sent what appears to be a number of tutorial videos for Project Swan, which were buried in Pico’s public SDK.

Luna, who also leaked multiple devices in the past including Meta Ray-Ban Display, additionally confirmed the videos seen below are indeed authentic.

PICO Project Swan

I was sent these by a source claiming it is in the public SDK, and I was able to independently verify that is indeed the case (you can too) pic.twitter.com/wAVa56OY1T

— Luna (@Lunayian) June 11, 2026

What it reveals: a headset very much inspired by Apple Vision Pro and Samsung Galaxy XR, as it appears to include a separate battery unit and woven headstrap à la Vision Pro, and a body similar to Galaxy XR.

Earlier this week Qualcomm seemingly teased its next-gen Snapdragon XR chipset targeted at standalone headsets, something the company says we’ll learn more about “soon.”

Notably, Pico said back in March that Project Swan will contain a co-processor that combines custom XR silicon and a separate flagship SoC with “more than 2× CPU and GPU performance vs XR2 Gen 2,” something the company says will launch globally in late 2026.

While possibly a coincidence, the timing does raise an eyebrow at whether Pico will be the first to include Qualcomm’s next-gen Snapdragon XR chip.

That said, we’re still waiting to hear a lot more about Project Swan, including its pricing, official naming scheme and (not to mention) full spec sheet.

So far, Pico has revealed it will weight in at 270g (presumably just the headset and not battery) and include microOLED panels with 4,000 pixels per inch (PPI). The headset’s optics are also said to provide an average ~40 pixels per degree (PPD) and a center sweet spot exceeding 45 PPD.