Meta Acquires Luxexcel, a Smart Glasses Company • TechCrunch

As Meta faces antitrust scrutiny for its acquisition of fitness developers VR Within, the tech giant is making another acquisition. Meta confirmed to TechCrunch that it is buying Luxexcel, a smart glasses company headquartered in the Netherlands. Terms of the deal, which was first reported in Belgian newspaper De Tijd, were not disclosed.

Founded in 2009, Luxexcel uses 3D printing to manufacture corrective lenses for eyeglasses. More recently, the company has focused its efforts on smart lenses, which can be printed with embedded technology like LCD screens and holographic films.

“We are delighted that the Luxexcel team has joined Meta, deepening the existing partnership between the two companies,” a Meta spokesperson told TechCrunch. Meta and Luxexcel are rumored to have previously worked together on Project Aria, the company’s augmented reality (AR) research initiative.

In September 2021, Meta unveiled the Ray-Ban Stories, a pair of smart glasses that can take photos and videos, or make voice-activated hands-free calls using Meta platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook. By absorbing Luxexcel, Meta will likely leverage the company’s technology to produce prescription AR glasses, a product that is long expected to come from Meta’s billions of dollars of investment in its Reality Labs. However, a report this summer indicated that Meta was winding down plans for consumer AR glasses, which were originally slated for 2024. Meta did not comment on those rumors at the time.

When building its AR and VR products, Meta’s business strategy has been to acquire smaller companies that are developing cutting-edge technologies in the field. Even Meta’s flagship headset, the Quest, stems from its acquisition of Oculus in 2014. Given the FTC’s attempts to block Meta’s purchase of Within, it’s possible that Luxexcel’s purchase will attract the same scrutiny. meticulous.