Oakley and Meta are stepping into a new era of tech with the HSTN Performance AI glasses featuring groundbreaking technology.
Techies and fashion aficionados alike know—smart glasses are nothing new. They have been around since 1997, and have been evolving rapidly since then. But over the past couple of days, Oakley and Meta have been making rounds online for their new invention that’s trendy like the rest, but with features not found anywhere else.
Enter the Oakley Meta HSTN Performance AI glasses, which the eyewear maker and tech giant touts as a “game-changer” in the ever-evolving landscape of technology. Meta describes the pair of stylish and ultra-modern sunglasses as one that combines “Oakley’s signature design DNA with Meta’s industry-leading technology to give you deeper insights into your physical capabilities and help you share your biggest wins—on and off the field.”
This is the third time that Meta has collaborated with Oakley owner Essilor Luxottica on smart glasses. The first two were with the company’s biggest brand, Ray-Ban, in 2021 and 2023, with more than two million units sold as of February 2025. While both Ray-Ban and Oakley’s Meta glasses share similarities, including a wide range of styles and colors to choose from, it is the Oakley Meta HSTN (pronounced HOW-stuhn) that lets you talk with Meta’s AI assistant and record videos of up to 3K resolution.
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Its features are aimed at athletes and fashion junkies alike who want to capture and share different moments in their day, all hands-free. It has a 12MP camera built into the frames, which records high-quality photos and videos with a touch of a button. This 3K recording capability is boosted by a 5-mic system, taking viewers right into every stride, jump, dunk, or swing from your POV.
The Oakley Meta HSTN Performance AI glasses are the tech giant’s most powerful take on wearable AI so far. The device is engineered with Meta’s suite of AI-powered tools present in its various platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp. With the sunglasses, you can get real-time assistance in basically whatever you need—from searching the weather conditions to sharing a photo on social media—through voice commands.
Meta explained this in its press release: “For example, you can level up the competition in a whole new way when playing a round of golf. Need to know how the wind is going to affect your drive? Ask, ‘Hey Meta, how strong is the wind today?”
Meta AI responds by announcing information through the glasses’ open-ear speakers, which you can also use to stream your favorite playlist, listen to guided workouts, or take calls without the need for earbuds.
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What’s more, Meta and Oakley boosted these glasses with 50 percent longer battery life than the Ray-Ban Meta glasses. A fully charged pair of Oakley Meta HSTN glasses can last up to eight hours of typical use compared with the Ray-Ban Meta, which can only last for four hours. Its charging case also gets a boost, with up to 48 hours of charging time versus 36 hours in the Ray-Ban Meta.
Targeted at adrenaline-junkies leaping over mountains, hills, and rough roads, the Oakley Meta HSTN glasses are built as durable as the analog HSTN. With features such as Oakley’s O-Matter, the eyewear promises to be 25 percent lighter and twice as strong as traditional acetate.
Alex Himel, VP of Wearables at Meta, told Wired that this is to keep the glasses authentic to the brand. “We’ve done a lot of research to make sure the flexible hinges fit just right, and that the extra weight is balanced out so that if you’re doing something active, they stay on your face, and that they’re comfortable to wear all day,” he told the outlet.
Besides the frame, some of the glasses in the Oakley Meta HSTN line come with Oakley’s PRIZM lenses, which enhance color and contrast that helps during active use. The eyewear line also comes with an IPX4 waterproofing rating that makes each pair splashproof.
“I surf pretty actively, and one of the top use cases I’ve wanted is to have a pair of glasses that I can wear surfing. IPX4 can withstand getting wet, but not getting submerged—that needs an IP67 rating. That’s something we’re working on for future glasses, but if you’re getting splashed, if it’s raining, if you’re sweating—you don’t need to worry about that. The Oakley Meta HSTN work great for this,” Himel explained.
The Oakley Meta HSTN comes in six finishes, with the limited-edition pair that has gold accents and gold 24K Prizm Polar lenses retailing at $499. It is now available for pre-ordering, with the rest of the collection dropping with a $399 price tag in the coming months. It will be available in 15 countries, including US, Canada, UK, Italy, Spain, Germany, and Denmark.
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