Meta Looks to Pitch Next-Gen Ray Ban Stories Glasses to Live Stream Creators

Meta might be making an enormous pitch to live-streamers with the following iteration of its Ray Ban Stories glasses, based on the newest leaks on latest features which are set to be added to the device.

In line with a brand new report from Lowpass, the following version of Meta’s camera-equipped glasses will enable the wearer to stream video on to Facebook and/or Instagram, while it’ll also include functionality to let viewers speak to you as you stream.

As per Lowpass:

“Live streamers will have the option to directly communicate with their audience, with the glasses relaying comments via audio over the built-in headphones. Meta has previously leaned on Instagram influencers to advertise Ray-Ban Stories, and this latest feature might be a reasonably large draw for that crowd.”

Indeed, many streamers now wander the streets with their phone on a hand-held gimbal, and comments coming through a tool speaker. Streamers are incentivized to interact with comments, because users can donate money to have their comments read by an automatic voice, increasing the likelihood of a reply.

In public situations, nevertheless, this may be problematic, because viewers will pay to have outlandish, and infrequently offensive remarks read aloud. But when streamers could maintain that interaction, and its related revenue stream, via a non-public speaker, while still with the ability to interact with the world around them, that might be an enormous lure for streaming stars.

And more persons are searching for to develop into streamers, following the lead of their favorite web celebrities, who’re amassing large followings, and real income, via their live broadcasts. Kids growing up consuming this content will increasingly wish to try it out for themselves, which could make this a key application for Meta’s smart glasses, if indeed it could actually enable such a process.

Which seems entirely possible. The present version of Ray Ban Stories already enables users to capture video and take heed to music/answer calls via the device, so expanding such to streaming looks like an almost logical step. Technically, this may require some significant development, given the more advanced requirements of continuous video, however it might be the thing that finally ends up shifting loads more units, and driving ongoing usage, which has been a serious failing of the primary version of the device.

Recent reports suggest that over 90% of the primary wave of Ray Ban Stories users have since stopped using them, while overall sales have been significantly lower than Meta had expected.

The device is seemingly the precursor to Meta’s full-feed AR glasses, that are still in development, with Meta looking to ascertain a production pipeline that can eventually expand into that next stage.

But Ray Ban Stories, in itself, could have expanded use, and this latest application, for direct streaming, could prove to be a big pathway, if Meta can get it right.

Meta’s also working on improved privacy tools, in addition to adaptive volume elements to enhance the audio experience.

The updates may not make the following stage of camera-equipped glasses essential for almost all, as such, but simplified content creation, via direct broadcast streaming, and personal comments, might be a beneficial pathway to increased adoption.