- Meta and Oakley’s HSTN glasses inaugurate “Performance AI” eyewear, combining rugged Oakley frames with Meta’s AI hardware.
- Features include a 12MP Ultra HD (3K) camera, open‑ear speakers, IPX4 water resistance, and a built‑in Meta AI assistant.
- Battery improvements deliver up to eight hours of use, rapid 20‑minute charging, plus 48 extra hours via the charging case.
- A global athlete campaign with Mbappé, Mahomes, and others debuts at major sports events, showcasing hands‑free POV content.
- Marketers can use these glasses for immersive sports storytelling, live performance insights, and authentic athlete collaborations.
A collaboration that marries iconic Oakley design with Meta’s AI hardware, built for athletes who demand hands‑free vision, data, and POV capture.
When Meta first partnered with Ray‑Ban to launch AI‑enabled smart glasses, it signaled the dawn of consumer‑grade wearable computing. Now, in teaming with Oakley, Meta is venturing into performance territory, where rugged design and real‑world data merge.
The new Oakley Meta HSTN model represents a deliberately athletic focus, born from the two brands’ shared vision: to amplify human potential through seamless, wearable intelligence.
Oakley’s Design DNA, Reimagined
At first glance, the HSTN frames look unmistakably Oakley—with bold lines, wraparound lenses, and a form that channels motion. Yet under the surface, subtle changes accommodate Meta’s technology.
Built‑in cameras sit unobtrusively at each temple, while open‑ear speakers nestle along the frame’s arms. The result feels less like clunky gadgetry and more like high‑performance gear: water‑resistant, lightweight, and ready for rigorous activity.
Introducing Oakley Meta HSTN Performance AI glasses. Capture highlights, listen to music, and change the game with @Meta AI. Chapter 1 is here and it’s just the beginning. Pre-order starts July 11.
Get notified: https://t.co/ubGrMBlZnw pic.twitter.com/ssZYqamo7o
— Oakley (@oakley) June 20, 2025
Here's a rundown of what to expect from the new performance glasses.
Hands‑Free Capture and Playback
The heart of Oakley Meta’s appeal lies in its hands‑free operation. Athletes can record POV footage in Ultra HD simply by voice command—“Hey Meta, take a video”—or a long‑press on the temple’s touchpad.
That footage feeds directly to paired apps, ready for instant review or social sharing. Meanwhile, open‑ear speakers pipe music, podcasts, or coach‑style instructions directly into the ears, preserving situational awareness while elevating motivation.
Live Data at a Glance
Beyond capture and playback, Oakley Meta embeds a personal AI assistant into a singular wearable. By querying real‑time metrics—wind speed on the golf course or wave height at the break—users gain contextual awareness without breaking stride.
This is the first Performance AI eyewear to treat external data as core to the experience, transforming passive observation into active decision‑making.
Power to Go the Distance
Battery life has long been the Achilles’ heel of smart glasses, but Meta and Oakley tackled it head‑on. A single charge sustains eight hours of continuous use and extends to 19 hours on standby—enough for multiple training sessions or an extended outdoor adventure.
A magnetically docking charging case adds two days of juice, ensuring that athletes stay powered even during back‑to‑back events or multi‑day excursions.
Athlete‑Led Launch and Global Campaign
Meta and Oakley didn’t merely announce the HSTN in a tech demo—they put it in the hands of the very athletes whose performance inspired its creation. Leading the charge are two of the world’s most celebrated sports figures: Kylian Mbappé, whose lightning‑fast decision‑making on the soccer pitch exemplifies the need for real‑time data, and Patrick Mahomes, whose precision‑driven throws illustrate how instant playback can refine elite performance.
But the campaign goes far beyond stadium highlights. It follows Team Oakley athletes into diverse arenas—Gabriel Medina scoping surf conditions through voice‑activated wind checks, J.R. Smith using the AI assistant to time his golf drive, Ishod Wair and Boo Johnson capturing high‑speed skate tricks from start to finish, and Bicho Carrera tracking altitude data while mountain biking.
Each scenario is woven into a global storytelling arc that positions the HSTN not as a gimmick but as an indispensable training and content‑creation partner.
These athlete stories unfold first at marquee events: fans at Fanatics Fest witness live demos of hands‑free filming during draft panels; UFC International Fight Week attendees experience in‑arena takeovers, where the glasses stream backstage footage of fighters warming up.
Social channels then amplify the narrative, as each athlete personalizes the product—Mbappé posting 3K clips of his penalty‑shootout practice, Mahomes sharing in‑helmet shots of his pre‑game routine, and Medina uploading POV breaks when the swell hits the reef.
For marketers, this multi‑sport, multi‑platform rollout offers a template for immersive storytelling. By showcasing the HSTN in authentic athletic contexts—complete with data overlays, uncut action, and athlete voice‑overs—Meta and Oakley demonstrate how Performance AI glasses can drive both engagement and aspirational appeal.
Brands can replicate this blueprint by partnering with niche athletes, tailoring the narrative to specific sports, and creating content that is both informative and emotionally resonant, bridging the gap between product launch and genuine lifestyle integration.
Context in a Crowded Market
Smart glasses have evolved swiftly, from AR prototypes to basic capture devices. Oakley Meta HSTN stakes a claim in a specialized niche: sport and adventure. By focusing on durability, extended battery life, and integrated AI, Meta differentiates these glasses from mainstream alternatives.
In doing so, it signals to competitors that performance‑grade wearables represent a distinct category, one that goes beyond novelty into necessity for serious enthusiasts and athletes.
AI Glasses as the New Standard
Oakley Meta HSTN may be the first in Performance AI eyewear, but it likely won’t be the last. As voice‑activated AI agents grow more sophisticated and hardware miniaturizes further, glasses will become the interface of choice for active users. For now, Meta and Oakley set a benchmark—melding design, data, and durability into a wearable that feels purpose‑built rather than an afterthought.
In the world of sports tech, that fusion is a game changer.
