Google Glass Ray-Bans Possible Due To New Partnership
Just recently, in an attempt to go mainstream with its wearable sensation, Google Glass, Google signed a deal with Luxottica. In case you have no idea who or what Luxottica is, it is the world’s largest eye wear company, controlling over 80% of the world’s major eye wear brands, such as Ray-Ban, Persol and Oakley. According to the deal, Luxottica will make eyeglass frames that will use Google Glass.
The two companies “design, develop and distribute a new breed of eye wear for Glass”, with the first collection combining “high end technology with avant garde design offering the best in style, quality, and performance“. The deal only includes the United States and the first results should be seen in stores around next year, according to Luxottica’s CEO Andrea Guerra, though Google does not mention in the official press release when the first results of this partnership will hit the market.
Even though Google Glass is not available commercially at the moment, sooner or later it will be. And while Glass Explorers, as Google likes to call the first people to try the wearable device, are all tech aficionados and don’t mind a rough design of the frames, a worldwide release will put Google Glass in the hands of many people, some (if not most) of them not tech aficionados, that would want a better design. Hence the partnership with the company behind the famous Ray-Ban brand of sunglasses and eyeglasses. Currently, Google lets you “choose from four feather light titanium frames (thin, bold, curved, split) that fit with your prescription or no prescription at all. When purchasing Glass, add your preferred frame as an accessory. [...] Glass frames especially designed by the Glass team are available from the Glass store for $225 (plus tax). Frames are subject to availability. If you don’t see them in stock, check back regularly“.
The four prescription frames for the Google Glass, were designed by Google not by a third party as was believed (eye wear startup Warby Parker was rumored to be responsible for the prescription frames). However, with this deal, Google managed to partner with the eye wear manufacturer that has the biggest market share, 12.4%. Not only that, but Luxottica is also able to sell Google Glass in more than 5000 retail stores around the world, which would be very important for Google’s wearable computer. Below, you can read the full press release from Google, which comes in the form of :
We’ve got some big news to share as we announce today that we have agreed to join forces with Luxottica. The Luxottica Group is a leader in premium, luxury and sports eyewear with over 5,000 optical and sun retail stores in the US and has a strong, well-balanced brand portfolio that includes Ray-Ban, Oakley, Vogue-Eyewear, Persol, Oliver Peoples, Alain Mikli and Arnette.When the first eyeglasses appeared in the 13th century, they took off and over the next 700 years, they evolved over and over, with the first bifocals appearing in the 18th century, and the monocle and sunglasses shortly after. Nowadays, glasses are global phenomenon – a reflection of both function and fashion.We see Glass as the next chapter in this long story. Light, simple and modular, Glass introduces new functionality as your glasses get smarter – but bringing your own style to Glass is just as important. Earlier this year, we launched the Titanium Collection, designed by the Glass team. Between frames, shades, and colors, there are over 40 different ways for Explorers to make Glass their own today… but that’s not enough.
Luxottica understands how to build, distribute and sell great products that their clients and consumers love – something we care deeply about at Glass, too. They’ll bring design and manufacturing expertise to the mix, and, together, we’ll bring even more Glass style choices to our Explorers. In addition, Luxottica’s retail and wholesale distribution channels will serve us well when we make Glass available to more people down the road.
You’re not going to see Glass on your favorite Oakleys or Ray-Bans tomorrow, but today marks the start of a new chapter in Glass’s design. Excited? Because we definitely are.
The deal was almost immediately beneficial for the eye wear company, as after the deal with Google, Luxottica’s shares jumped over 4 percents which means that Leonardo Del Vecchio (the company’s founder) gained over seven hundred million dollars. Leonardo Del Vecchio owns 61.35% of Luxottica through holding company Delfin. It should also be mentioned that famous fashion designer Giorgio Armani also owns 4.77% of Luxottica. As we said, the deal already benefited Luxottica thanks to its shares jumping by 4 percents and in the long run it will also benefit Google Glass, thanks to Luxottica’s retail chain. Currently Google Glass sells for over $1500 and is available only through the company’s Explorer program. Below you can read the full official press release from Luxottica:
Milan (Italy), March 24th – Luxottica Group S.p.A. (MTA: LUX; NYSE: LUX), a leader in the design, manufacture, distribution and sales of premium, luxury and sports eyewear and Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG), announce today they have agreed they will join forces to design, develop and distribute a new breed of eyewear for Glass.
Today’s announcement offers a far reaching strategic partnership between Luxottica and Google to work together across multiple efforts on the creation of innovative iconic wearable devices. Through this relationship, Luxottica and Google, who are setting the pace in their respective industries, will match up high-tech developers with fashion designers and eyewear professionals. In particular, the two Corporations will establish a team of experts devoted to working on the design, development, tooling and engineering of Glass products that straddle the line between high-fashion, lifestyle and innovative technology.
Luxottica added that the two major proprietary brands of the Group, Ray-Ban and Oakley
who has a 10-year heritage in wearable technology that has evolved from MP3 to HUD devices, will be a part of the collaboration with Glass; however details about these new products will be disclosed at a later stage.“We are thrilled to announce our partnership with Google, and are proud to be once again setting the pace in the eyewear industry, as we have been, with more than 50 years of excellence.” Said Andrea Guerra, Chief Executive Officer of Luxottica Group.
“We live in a world where technological innovation has dramatically changed the way in which we communicate and interact in everything that we do. More importantly, we have come to a point where we now have both a technology push and a consumer pull for wearable technology products and applications. Seeing such a future, over the last years, Luxottica invested heavily in building-out our technology platforms and digital solutions to combine with our products excellence. We believe that a strategic partnership with a leading player like Google is the ideal platform for developing a new way forward in our industry and answering the evolving needs of consumers on a global scale. We believe it is high time to combine the unique expertise, deep knowledge and quality of our Group with the cutting edge technology expertise of Google and give birth to a new generation of revolutionary devices.”
“Luxottica has built an impressive history over the last 50 years designing, manufacturing and distributing some of the most successful and well-known brands in eyewear today.” Said Google Vice President and head of Google X Astro Teller. “We are thrilled to be partnering with them as we look to push Glass and the broader industry forward into the emerging smart eyewear market.”
The first collection generated by this partnership will combine high-end technology with avant-garde design offering the best in style, quality and performance. These forward-thinking devices will be the result of a new and unique strategic approach reflecting attention to detail, uncompromising quality and technology nurtured in the global market. The sophistication and elegance of this new generation of products will be a dramatic step forward in an evolving category and elevate the consumer experience in this area.
