If you're staring just a little to read this article, whether on screen or on paper, you're not alone.
The Corona pandemic has had a great impact on the eyesight of the world's population, as about a third of the British population reported to the Association of Optometrists that their vision deteriorated during periods of closure.
In China, cases of myopia have tripled in children between the ages of 6 and 8, and about 80% of students in the country are now nearsighted, according to Bloomberg.
Eyeglasses maker Warby Parker told investors during its initial public offering in September that increased exposure to screens had increased demand for its products.
But what is a problem for you and for the three-quarters of Americans who use optical correction devices is a huge opportunity for the technology sector to invest in this all-human sense.
Silicon Valley companies working on smart glasses are betting that it will be easier to convince people who already wear glasses to try their future glasses.
And if you wear glasses, you are the target of massive products planned by a long list of companies such as "Apple", "Amazon" and "Facebook", and its parent company, "Meta".
Mita started focusing on the "Metaverse" on a large scale. So its virtual reality unit, Oculus, makes VR glasses that bring you into a computer-generated world.
The next step is augmented reality, which is a more complex technology in which information and graphics are superimposed within your field of view. In order to interact properly with the environment, the image must be of high quality and highly responsive, as any delay may lead to user discomfort.
While more models are expected to hit the market in the coming years, the prices are likely to be prohibitive.
For example, the price of Microsoft's "HoloLens" smart glasses starts at $ 3,500, and there is no doubt that some people who want to get these glasses first will pay such an amount, but most consumers who They don't understand this new category of products well, they will want to try it before they buy it.
In the past, it took a few years to educate consumers about smartphone devices, and today they realize that the user interface and software are what distinguish this new device to a large extent.
In this context, Marty Resnick, an analyst, said, "If we take the (Apple) Watch as an example, although it was exciting when it was first introduced, it was very rare to see anyone wearing it." He added, "The same will apply to glasses. There are people who will wear them at first, but it will take some time before they turn into an accessory."
Another challenge facing these smart glasses is distribution. Although Amazon, for example, has an unparalleled ability to reach customers. On the other hand, Mita lags behind in this regard, and its efforts in the field of special devices have so far proven to be flawed.
However, Meta has a weapon that will put her in command. Last September, Facebook launched Ray‑Ban Stories glasses, which are equipped with selfie cameras and speakers that enable you to make calls, listen to music, and take photos and videos.
Meta benefits from the Ray-Ban designs beloved by fashionistas, but most important is the relationship it has established with the eyewear maker's parent company, EssilorLuxottica.
Brands under the Franco-Italian company's umbrella include Oakley and Ray-Ban, it makes eyewear for Burberry, Prada and Versace, and it owns Lens. LensCrafters, Sunglass Hut, Vision Direct, and more than a dozen other chain stores.
Most likely, first-generation augmented reality glasses will need to be modified to fit users and their specification.
Optometrists can also play a leading role in this field, along with the laboratories that manufacture the lenses, preferably located close to the factory where the frames are made in order to ship them together. And Esilor Luxottica has such a manufacturing network.
In order to obtain a Ray-Ban Stories technology license, Essilor Luxottica pays Mita a fraction of the $299 price of the eyewear. Meta's priority is to get its glasses to market quickly, because pairing glasses with ads can make more money than even the product itself. In the United States and Canada, it makes $159 per user per year from ads. It can therefore give Del Vecchio a larger stake, allowing it to keep the gross profit margin of more than 60%, which it considers sacred.
Essilor Luxottica is not the only long-established eyewear maker, but it is the largest. If we all end up wearing smart glasses, Del Vecchio will not want to repeat the experience of the Swiss watch sector, which was overshadowed by the Apple Watch. An alliance with Meta would solve the problem for both teams.
