Oakley unveils Meta Vanguard AI glasses for elite athletes
Oakley has launched the Meta Vanguard, a line of performance AI glasses developed in collaboration with Meta, designed specifically for athletes engaged in high-intensity sports and training.
The Oakley Meta Vanguard integrates Oakley's sport-focused design with artificial intelligence technology, providing athletes with actionable insights into their performance. The glasses allow wearers to record and review their achievements in sports such as cycling, running, and skiing, using features like a hands-free point-of-view camera and personalised fitness data tracking.
Performance features
The glasses are engineered to meet the demands encountered by athletes in rigorous environments. With hands-free computing and voice-activated controls, users can remain engaged in their sport without distraction. The Oakley Meta Vanguard is compatible with fitness apps like Strava and Garmin to monitor performance metrics in real-time. Athletes can simply ask, "Hey Meta, what's my heart rate?" or "How am I doing?" to receive feedback via LED notifications or audio responses, while Garmin autocapture automatically logs key training milestones.
The device offers up to nine hours of usage on a single charge, including six hours of continuous audio playback. Its charging case adds another 36 hours, and a fast-charge mode provides a 50% battery boost in 20 minutes, supporting extended sessions and endurance events.
For capturing training and competition highlights, the Oakley Meta Vanguard is fitted with a 12-megapixel, 122-degree wide-angle camera capable of 3K video, enhanced by slow motion, hyperlapse, and adjustable video stabilisation. This allows athletes to document activity from their own perspective for detailed performance review or sharing.
Audio features have also been designed for use in a variety of environments, with open-ear speakers that maintain situational awareness and a five-microphone array reducing wind interference during calls, messaging, and voice commands.
Design and adaptability
The frame incorporates Oakley's Three-Point Fit system along with interchangeable nose pads to accommodate different face shapes and optimise comfort. It is also rated IP67 for dust and water resistance, and its shape is compatible with cycling helmets and hats.
Oakley's PRIZM lens technology is included, enhancing visual clarity and contrast by amplifying colours and details. The lenses are replaceable, with four frame and lens combinations available at launch and additional replacement lens options, including a low-light variant, planned for the near future.
The Oakley Meta Vanguard will launch globally, with availability in multiple countries including Australia, the UK, France, Germany, and the United States. Expansion to Mexico, India, Brazil, and the United Arab Emirates is planned later in the year.
Company statements
"Our Goal at Oakley is always to create for the future and deliver to the present," says Caio Amato, Oakley Global President. "Oakley invented the sports performance category, now with Oakley Meta Vanguard we're setting another new baseline for what is possible. We wanted to redefine what an eyewear could be by delivering Performance AI glasses, technological advancements that truly amplify human potential. And it's a leap toward a new era of human possibilities."
Rocco Basilico, Chief Wearables Officer for EssilorLuxottica, said: "Glasses have emerged as the fastest-growing category in wearable technology, and we're proud to be leading the charge with the introduction of a series of new wearables. Our products have demonstrated that when iconic design meets breakthrough AI technology, most recently with the Oakley Meta HSTN leading our sports category, the result is wearable tech that the world will embrace, transforming how we view the future of eyewear. With Meta, our offerings will anchor a category that spans functions, technologies, brands, and communities worldwide. We're looking at a long runway ahead of us."
Oakley Meta Vanguard will debut in a campaign featuring athletes such as cyclist Mark Cavendish, footballer Kylian Mbappè, and others, reflecting the focus on elite sports performance and integration of new technology in athletic training and competition.
