Facebook and Ray-Ban Stories Smart Glasses Unboxing

Sep 14, 2021 02:55 PM

Mar 10, 2025 09:06 PM

Wayfarer sunglasses box packaging on a wooden surface.

The competition to secure the top slot in the smart glasses space is now in full swing, with Facebook challenging Snap's Spectacles and Amazon's Echo Frames with its own collaboration with Ray-Ban called Stories.

What makes Facebook's offering so unique is that it is the first Big Tech player to team with a luxury glasses maker to enter into the smart glasses fray. So did the partnership yield a better fit and finish?

• Don't Miss: Facebook's Smart Glasses Are the New AR Hype, but It's Becoming Clearer That a Metaverse Platform War Is Coming

Unboxing the device delivers answers to this question. While Facebook's competitors both started out as software-focused companies, both now have years of experience making their own custom hardware for the consumer space.

And while both Amazon and Snap have over time refined their approach to hardware, what happens when they're faced with a challenge from an American classic, Ray-Ban, operating within its core competency?

Box wrapped in bubble wrap on a wooden surface.

Adario Strange/Next Reality

Wayfarer Urban Stories packaging on a wooden surface.

Adario Strange/Next Reality

Ray-Ban and Facebook branded sunglasses box.

Adario Strange/Next Reality

Black box with the text "PACK BOOK" on the top.

Adario Strange/Next Reality

Adario Strange/Next Reality

Well, right off the bat, even the exterior packaging immediately looks and feels like it's from a team that has been shipping luxury eyewear for decades rather than entering new territory.

Founded in 1961 in Milan, Italy, Ray-Ban parent company Luxottica is a global powerhouse in the eyewear space, and the packaging lives up to that pedigree.

Black eyewear case with a business card inside on a wooden surface.

Adario Strange/Next Reality

Reference guide and warranty cards alongside a black pouch on a wooden surface.

Adario Strange/Next Reality

Black case with cable and card on a wooden surface.

Adario Strange/Next Reality

Black eyeglass case with a lid on a wooden surface.

Adario Strange/Next Reality

In addition to Ray-Ban, Luxottica owns Oakley and has crafted luxury eyewear for the likes of Giorgio Armani, Versace, Chanel, Prada, Dolce and Gabbana, Coach, and Burberry.

With such a high-end roster of work in its past, it's clear that, beyond the technical features, Facebook aligned itself with perhaps the best eyewear brand on the planet in terms of track record.

Sunglasses in a case on a wooden surface.

Adario Strange/Next Reality

Ray-Ban sunglasses case on a wooden surface.

Adario Strange/Next Reality

Sleek black eyeglasses case on a wooden surface.

Adario Strange/Next Reality

Adario Strange/Next Reality

Close-up of the interior of a hard case with a small compartment.

Adario Strange/Next Reality

That rich history is apparent when opening the packaging and cracking open the incredibly sturdy carrying case which doubles as a charger for the Stories smart glasses. The case is embedded with LED indicator lights that display charging status as facilitated by the included USB-C charging cable.

As you might expect, the package also includes a reference guide, safety and warranty booklet, and an additional cloth carrying case.

Black sunglasses resting on a wooden surface.

Adario Strange/Next Reality

Smart sunglasses close-up showing hinge and lens detail.

Adario Strange/Next Reality

Adario Strange/Next Reality

Adario Strange/Next Reality

Stylish black sunglasses on a wooden surface.

Adario Strange/Next Reality

One of the interesting things you'll notice upon opening the package is that, although Facebook branding is included on the exterior packaging, there is no Facebook branding on the device or the charging case. Nevertheless, to really get the Stories smart glasses working, you'll need the new Facebook View app.

We'll explore how that works soon, but in terms of presentation and build quality, Facebook's collaboration with Ray-Ban for Stories delivers a top-tier eyewear experience that gives Snap's Spectacles a run for its money, and outclasses Amazon's Echo Frames in many respects.

Don't Miss: Facebook & Ray-Ban Stories Smart Glasses, Details on the Specs, Colors, Prices, Software, and Availability

Cover image by Adario Strange/Next Reality

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