SAN FRANCISCO, CA (AFP).- Facebook on Wednesday announced it would launch its own smart glasses next year which connect to smartphones as part of an alliance with eyewear titan EssilorLuxottica.

The Ray-Ban branded eyewear, a move by Facebook into wearable tech, is an early step in a project to create futuristic eyewear that augments real-world views with data or graphics from the internet, according to chief executive Mark Zuckerberg.

"They are going to be the next step on the road to augmented reality glasses, and they look pretty good too," Zuckerberg said in a streamed presentation opening a developers conference devoted to its virtual reality platform Oculus.

Technical specifications of the smart glasses to be produced by the Franco-Italian firm were not disclosed.




Zuckerberg explained that engineers in a Project Aria team are experimenting with the eyewear.

The partnership will blend Facebook apps and technologies with Luxottica brands and Essilor lens technology in smart glasses that tap into the internet to help people stay connected with friends and family.

"Combining a brand that is loved and worn by millions of consumers around the globe with technology that has brought the world closer together, we can reset expectations around wearables" said Luxottica chief wearables officer Rocco Basilico in a release.

"We are paving the way for a new generation of products destined to change the way we look at the world."

© Agence France-Presse