Latest news with #MetaRay-Bans
The Star
a day ago
- Business
- The Star
Qualcomm forecasts revenue above estimates, betting on AI use to drive chip demand
FILE PHOTO: A smartphone with a displayed Qualcomm logo is placed on a computer motherboard in this illustration taken March 6, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo (Reuters) -Qualcomm projected current-quarter sales above Wall Street expectations on Wednesday, wagering that growing AI capabilities in consumer devices will boost demand for its semiconductors despite ongoing global trade uncertainties. The San Diego-based company is the world's largest supplier of modem chips that enable smartphones to connect to wireless data networks. A major strategic concern for Qualcomm is its relationship with Apple, its top customer. Qualcomm's shares were down about 4% in extended trading after it reiterated its warning that Apple's shift to its own modem chips in its future devices will hit its chip segment revenue. The iPhone 16e, launched earlier this year, was the first Apple smartphone to house a modem developed in-house. Qualcomm forecast revenue between $10.3 billion and $11.1 billion for the September quarter, compared with estimates of $10.64 billion, according to data compiled by LSEG. The company has not seen signs of customers ordering chips ahead of normal seasonal schedules to try to get ahead of possible tariffs, Chief Financial Officer Akash Palkhiwala told Reuters in an interview. U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff policies have so far provided exemptions for smartphones and semiconductor chips from these Trump has issued warnings about potential sector-specific tariffs targeting the industry, stating as recently as this month that he would "soon announce tariffs on semiconductors." The tariff situation remains highly fluid and complex, with existing Chinese electronics tariffs still in effect despite the exemptions granted for certain categories. Global smartphone shipments climbed 1% in the second quarter, according to research firm IDC, as Apple, a key Qualcomm customer, accelerated shipments to avoid potential tariff impacts. Still, the company said its chip segment revenue from customers excluding Apple was up more than 15% so far this fiscal year. Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon said he expects the company's business to supply chips to augmented-reality glasses such as Meta Ray-Bans to expand. "We have all the designs that matter right now - the number of designs like the Meta glasses is now up to 19, and that continues to accelerate," Amon told Reuters in an interview. Qualcomm forecast fiscal fourth-quarter chip segment sales at a midpoint of $9.3 billion, compared with analyst estimates of $9.19 billion, according to Visible Alpha data. The chipmaker reported sales of $10.37 billion for its third quarter ended June 29, beating estimates of $10.35 billion. The company's third-quarter adjusted profit of $2.77 per share compared with estimates of profit of $2.71 per share. It expects adjusted profits in the fiscal fourth quarter of about $2.85 per share, above estimates of $2.83 per share. (Reporting by Akash Sriram in Bengaluru and Stephen Nellis in San Francisco; Editing by Leroy Leo)
CNBC
2 days ago
- Business
- CNBC
Qualcomm beats on earnings, highlights growth in Meta smartglasses
Qualcomm reported fiscal third-quarter earnings on Wednesday that beat Wall Street expectations and provided a stronger-than-expected guide for the current quarter. Here's how the chipmaker did for the quarter ending June 29 compared to LSEG consensus expectations: In the current quarter, Qualcomm said it expected $2.85 per share at the midpoint of adjusted earnings on $10.7 billion in revenue at the midpoint. Analysts polled by LSEG were expecting $2.83 in adjusted earnings per share on $10.35 billion in revenue. Net income during the quarter ending in June was $2.66 billion, or $2.43 per share, versus $2.13 billion, or $1.88 per share a year ago. Qualcomm's most important business is selling chips for smartphones, including the central processor and modem for high-end devices made by Samsung. It also provides modems to Apple. Its handset chip business reported $6.33 billion in revenue during the quarter, just shy of Wall Street expectations of $6.44 billion. Qualcomm expects to lose Apple as a customer for its modem business in the coming years. But the company has been working to diversify its business by making chips for other devices, including Windows PCs and Meta's Quest virtual-reality headsets and Meta Ray-Bans smart glasses. Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon highlighted the company's work with Meta in a short interview on Wednesday. He said that making chips for devices like Meta's Ray-Bans smart glasses was a good example of the chipmaker's AI strategy, which was to embrace "personal AI," or AI applications that run on devices, not the cloud. Qualcomm reports its Meta revenues under its "Internet of Things" division, which had $1.68 billion in revenue during the quarter. Amon referenced Mark Zuckerberg's AI vision statement Wednesday that focused on "personal superintelligence," saying "the upside we had in the quarter within IoT is what we do in with smart glasses." CFO Akash Palkhiwala said that Meta had stronger-than-expected chip consumption during the quarter. On Monday, Ray-Ban parent EssilorLuxottica said that sales of the smart glasses more than tripled on an annual basis. "Mark put out a video today, just with a very clear vision of how they see personal AI and super intelligence evolving, and we are a key part of making that division happen," Palkhiwala said. Amon also said Qualcomm would start to provide data about how much its chip business is growing without Apple — about 15% this year, he said. The company's automotive business has been highlighted by Amon as one of the biggest growth opportunities for the company, but in the third quarter, it grew 21% to $984 million, below the 24% growth rate of the company's IoT business. Qualcomm's other major division is QTL, which includes licensing fees for technology that Qualcomm developed and patented, including parts of the 5G standard. Overall, QTL revenues rose 11% to $1.32 billion. Qualcomm said it spent just under $1 billion on cash dividends and $2.8 billion repurchasing 19 million shares of its stock during the quarter.
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
‘Disturbing and violating': Woman sobs after realising she was secretly filmed with camera glasses
A Texas woman broke down in tears after realising she was filmed through a built-in camera in Ray-Ban Meta glasses and the video was uploaded online for millions of people to see. Twitch streamer Herculyse claimed she did not know she was being filmed when a man approached her in a supermarket and complimented her appearance. A Texas woman claims she did not realise she was being filmed through Meta Ray-Bans. (X/@herculysee) {{^userSubscribed}} {{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{/userSubscribed}} {{^userSubscribed}} {{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{/userSubscribed}} The smart glasses from Ray-Ban Meta allow users to record videos, snap pictures, listen to music and more at the press of a button. The glasses have an LED light that illuminates when the built-in camera is recording. However, Herculyse claimed not to have realised that content creator Jose Reyes was wearing the glasses and recording her. {{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} has reached out to Meta for a statement. This copy will be updated on receiving a response. The video at the centre of the row Jose Reyes had shared the video on his Instagram account a few weeks ago. It shows him approaching Herculyse and asking for her phone number after complimenting her. The woman refused politely, saying she had recently gone through a breakup. The interaction seemingly ended there – until Herculyse realised recently that the video had ended up on social media. {{^userSubscribed}} {{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{/userSubscribed}} {{^userSubscribed}} {{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{/userSubscribed}} {{^usCountry}} In a tearful clip shared on X one day ago, the Twitch streamer said she was disgusted and felt violated at being filmed without her consent. She claimed that she had no idea she was being filmed and thought it was a 'genuine interaction'. {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} In a tearful clip shared on X one day ago, the Twitch streamer said she was disgusted and felt violated at being filmed without her consent. She claimed that she had no idea she was being filmed and thought it was a 'genuine interaction'. {{/usCountry}} Read More {{^usCountry}} 'THIS is why these glasses or any version should NOT exist. I VIVIDLY remember this interaction, I had no idea I was being filmed. This was to be sent to me tonight after I was recognized. This is disturbing. Makes me sick physically, this is violating & WRONG,' she wrote on X. An appeal to Meta {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} 'THIS is why these glasses or any version should NOT exist. I VIVIDLY remember this interaction, I had no idea I was being filmed. This was to be sent to me tonight after I was recognized. This is disturbing. Makes me sick physically, this is violating & WRONG,' she wrote on X. An appeal to Meta {{/usCountry}} {{^userSubscribed}} {{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{/userSubscribed}} {{^userSubscribed}} {{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{/userSubscribed}} The Texas-based streamer further said that Meta should take cognisance of the issue as their product is being used to film women without their consent. 'If there's anyone I know who has connects at Meta or Instagram please message me and help me and the other women who are unknowingly and on this man's page without any knowledge of being filmed or have consented to these videos,' she said. 'This is disturbing and violating,' Herculyse reiterated. In her video, she broke down into tears as she recalled, 'that man came up to me. He wasn't holding anything and I thought it was a genuine interaction… I was trying to be honest. I never wanted my breakup to be public like that.' {{^userSubscribed}} {{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{/userSubscribed}} {{^userSubscribed}} {{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{/userSubscribed}} In a follow-up post, she accused Reyes of pretending he could not speak English. 'He faked not speaking fluent English to make me uncomfortable for a reaction. He followed me around and edited it all out so it looked like he walked away,' said the Texas woman. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Indian Express
21-07-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Why Qualcomm is betting on smart glasses like Meta's Ray-Bans as the next big thing in tech
Alex Katouzian, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Mobile Compute & XR at Qualcomm Inc, Monday expressed confidence that smart glasses will become the next big category in the consumer tech space. 'As of today, many people are carrying not one device but multiple devices like watches, phones, and earbuds. Glasses will be another smart device that people carry,' said Katouzian. Katouzian's confidence in the smart glasses segment comes after the surprise success of Meta's glasses developed in partnership with Ray-Ban. Although Meta has explored both virtual and augmented reality, it was the Ray-Ban smart glasses that caught consumers' attention globally, despite not being advanced AR glasses. Instead, the Ray-Bans combine the Meta AI voice assistant with basic hardware and a classic design, which helped the company sell millions of units. Ray-Bans are wirelessly linked with a smartphone. 'You have seen Meta Ray-Bans and Oakleys; they exist today at a scale much larger than last year or the year before. The volumes have increased six to seven times compared to what we shipped previously,' Katouzian told at the Snapdragon for India event in Delhi. The reason Qualcomm, the leading maker of smartphone processors, is making a bigger push into smart glasses is probably because it developed the processor that powered the Meta Ray-Ban glasses. Now, that experiment seems to have paid off, and the company is launching a new chip specifically designed for the next generation of smart glasses. The AR1 Plus Gen 1 chip is an upgrade from the processors used in smaller smart glasses, such as the Meta Ray-Bans. The new chip is not only smaller in size, allowing for a larger battery while keeping the glasses looking like regular eyewear, but also supports on-device AI, capable of running small language models. This enables the glasses to handle more offline tasks using voice commands. 'Not only are we moving toward making glasses smarter, but we are also working to combine these devices to deliver a much better user experience. Whether it's on-device or in the cloud, it doesn't matter to us. We are agnostic to that. We will help the cloud agent become smarter by giving it access to your personal information, and we will help the on-device agent become smarter by enabling it to process tasks locally, without accessing the cloud. That's the direction we are headed with these technologies,' he explains. Qualcomm is placing its bet on a product category that has never truly been a hit with consumers. Smart glasses that use augmented and virtual reality have often felt more like tech demos than practical, usable products. However, smart glasses like the Meta Ray-Bans have made the concept more accessible, even though they only perform basic functions and don't yet offer the kind of futuristic features, such as augmented reality, that tech companies ultimately hope to bring to glasses — features that could one day even replace smartphones. Smart glasses like Meta's Ray-Bans may be the first step in that direction, but it's one step at a time. Katouzian says the next generation of computing devices that people will carry are glasses. However, the chips needed for the glasses need to be reimagined, and the processors designed for smartphones won't be a fit. 'The glasses, especially in the case of AR, operate at below 1 watt, whereas a PC operates at tens of watts, and a phone operates in the single-digit watt range. We are going from tens of watts to single digits, and now to below 1 watt – each step an order of magnitude lower in power consumption,' he explains. 'So of course, the chips we design for AR glasses take into consideration how long the battery needs to last. They minimise power usage while still providing enough performance to make the glasses useful.' While the Meta Ray-Ban glasses may be the most popular smart glasses on the market today, the technology powering them has some limitations. 'Today, with the Meta glasses, you have to download an app on your phone that then interfaces with the device. We don't think that's the best way to do it because the app, by default, wakes up the phone's large processors to actually do its work. When these two things come near each other, they realise that there's another computing device there. We can offload the compute through either low-power Bluetooth or low-power Wi-Fi into the smartphone. What we would like to do is develop better contextual awareness between the glasses and the phone,' Katouzian said. But Katouzian imagines a future where smart glasses will have a relationship similar to the one we have with our smartphones or smartwatches. This means the glasses, smartphones, and smartwatches will work together seamlessly, with each device having its role and excelling at what it does best. 'Just imagine a watch combined with a pair of glasses. The watch will tell you everything about your internal health, while the glasses provide information about your external environment. When combined, your health and surroundings become one. Everyone carries a phone, which is a very powerful computing tool that holds your personal information: your calendar, emails, texts, location, and many other daily essentials are all stored there. Now, combine that with the glasses and the watch, so I can offload computing tasks to the phone to do things for me. I could store a large model on the phone itself. It can answer questions like, 'Hey, what should I do today in Delhi?' The glasses will detect that it's cloudy and about to rain, while the phone knows your location and understands your areas of interest.' While the Meta-powered Ray-Bans don't yet have augmented reality capabilities, they do feature video cameras, speakers, and a functioning AI, which many users have found more useful than the AI use cases currently available on a phone. 'You can actually do many things with an assistant, or ask questions that you would otherwise have to type or figure out where to get the information from. What that means is the AI agent has to be with you all the time to be useful. You should be able to just wear the glasses and have access to the agent. Today, this happens through the phone because it's the only connection to the cloud. Tomorrow, another device on your body that can have a cellular modem is the watch. So the watch and glasses will become an important pair,' he said. Katouzian said the AI agent will, by default, be part of whatever device you are using, whether it's a phone, watch, or glasses. He added that Qualcomm is working on a way to put a cellular modem directly into the glasses. 'We fully plan to figure out how to embed a cellular modem in the glasses themselves. It's already in the watch today – there's no reason it can't be in the glasses. 'The glasses cannot be very heavy; otherwise, their usability and comfort start to diminish. We pay a lot of attention to packaging and partitioning our chipsets and software in such a way that the glasses can be used comfortably for a full day.' From recording a concert with the built-in cameras without taking the phone out to make a call, much like any pair of wireless earbuds with a voice assistant, smart glasses like the Meta Ray-Bans offer features similar to other modern consumer tech products. While Ray-Bans don't offer advanced features, their form factor allows certain functions to work better on the glasses, making everyday technology more useful and helpful. The smash success of Ray-Bans has opened a new market for others to pursue seriously, and look beyond smartphones, which have started to peak but still generate billions of dollars in revenue. Meta's Chief Executive Officer, Mark Zuckerberg, has admitted that the glasses have been a bigger hit than expected since their launch, and the demand for them outpaced Meta's ability to manufacture them. Katouzian is encouraging its OEMs to make smart glasses alongside smartphones and wearables. 'We have the ability to make devices contextually aware of each other so they don't need an app. If an OEM can build both the phone and the glasses, they can use our protocols to fully utilise what the phone offers or what the watch offers. I think that's how we want to proceed.' In India, Lenskart, which provides eye care solutions and retails computer glasses, sunglasses, and contact lenses, is launching a pair of smart glasses featuring a Qualcomm chip. 'With Lenskart, we put together our solution with a glass maker, an actual ODM elsewhere, and combined it with what Lenskart wanted to do. This combination will allow Lenskart to provide smart glasses to its customer base,' he said. Katouzian says the launch of smart glasses from Lenskart will help broaden the market for smart glasses in a country like India. Meta recently launched its Ray-Ban smart glasses in India, though they cost as much as a mid-range smartphone. Qualcomm has also set its sights on augmented reality and mixed reality as key target areas, diversifying its business beyond smartphones. The San Diego-based chip maker is heavily involved in Samsung's Project Moohan mixed reality headset, which will be powered by Google's new mixed reality OS- Android XR, designed for headsets and smart glasses. Anuj Bhatia is a personal technology writer at who has been covering smartphones, personal computers, gaming, apps, and lifestyle tech actively since 2011. He specialises in writing longer-form feature articles and explainers on trending tech topics. His unique interests encompass delving into vintage tech, retro gaming and composing in-depth narratives on the intersection of history, technology, and popular culture. He covers major international tech conferences and product launches from the world's biggest and most valuable tech brands including Apple, Google and others. At the same time, he also extensively covers indie, home-grown tech startups. Prior to joining The Indian Express in late 2016, he served as a senior tech writer at My Mobile magazine and previously held roles as a reviewer and tech writer at Gizbot. Anuj holds a postgraduate degree from Banaras Hindu University. You can find Anuj on Linkedin. Email: ... Read More
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Business Standard
23-06-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
After Ray-Ban, Meta partners with Oakley; unveils Oakley Meta HSTN glasses
Meta has partnered with an American company Oakley, which is a subsidiary of Luxottica, to come up with a new range of smart glasses targeted at athletes or consumers who are looking for rugged smart glasses. As per Meta, the Oakley Meta Glasses offer significantly improved battery life compared to the Meta Ray-Bans, delivering up to eight hours of continuous use and an additional 48 hours via the charging case. Video recording capabilities have also been enhanced, with resolution increasing from 1080p to 3K for clearer, more detailed footage. Oakley Meta Glasses: Price and availability Meta has announced that the limited-edition Oakley Meta HSTN smart glasses will be available for preorder starting July 11 at $499 in select countries, including the US, Canada, UK, and several others across Europe and Australia. The rest of the Oakley Meta collection will launch later this summer, starting at $399. According to Meta, the glasses will expand to markets like Mexico, India, and the UAE later this year. Oakley Meta Glasses: Details The Oakley Meta HSTN smart glasses have been designed specifically with athletes and sports fans in mind, said Meta. Inspired by Oakley's HSTN frame style, the glasses blend a bold look with practical tech features. According to Meta, users can capture hands-free videos using the built-in camera and enjoy audio through integrated open-ear speakers. The glasses also have an IPX4 rating for water resistance, making them suitable for active use. The Oakley Meta HSTN includes several upgrades aimed at performance. Meta says the glasses offer up to eight hours of regular use, with fast charging that can deliver 50 per cent battery in about 20 minutes. With the included charging case, users can access up to 48 hours of on-the-go battery life. The camera now supports 3K resolution for clearer video capture. These smart glasses also come with built-in Meta AI. As described by the company, users can ask real-time questions or control functions with voice commands, such as checking weather conditions or recording videos. Meta positions the Oakley Meta HSTN as part of a broader effort to combine wearable AI with everyday performance needs. Prada-Meta glasses to soon debut Meta is reportedly expanding its smart glasses lineup with a Prada-branded model, according to a CNBC report. While specifics around the Prada smart glasses—such as design and launch timeline—remain unclear, former Meta employees told CNBC that the fashion brand's bold, chunky frame designs could be well-suited to accommodate the hardware required for Meta's wearable tech, including cameras, microphones, and processors. While Meta is expanding in the glasses market, competition is also heating up. Last month, Alphabet announced a $150 million partnership with Warby Parker to develop smart glasses featuring Google's Gemini AI assistant. The glasses are expected to launch sometime after 2025. Separately, Snap revealed plans in June to introduce its sixth-generation smart glasses under a new brand name, Specs. According to the company, the upcoming glasses—set for release in 2026—will incorporate augmented reality features and come in a more compact and lightweight design compared to earlier models.
