Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel Says Meta Is Fumbling Smart Glasses

Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel has criticized Meta’s approach to the smart glasses market, suggesting that the company’s brand reputation has forced it into a dependent partnership with EssilorLuxottica.

During an interview with YouTuber David Senra, Spiegel argued that Meta’s brand identity is a liability for wearable hardware, claiming that consumers are reluctant to associate the company’s name with products worn on the face.

The Role of the Luxottica Partnership

Meta partnered with EssilorLuxottica, the manufacturer of Ray-Ban, to produce the Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses and the Meta Ray-Ban Display. Spiegel characterized this move as a necessity for Meta to camouflage their brand, which he believes many people do not like or resonate with.

I think Meta needed to partner with Luxottica because the Meta brand is not something that people want to put anywhere near their face

Evan Spiegel

Spiegel suggested that the partnership may be more detrimental to EssilorLuxottica than to Meta. He claimed that Luxottica took a crazy-high-margin product and destroyed the margin by associating it with Meta.

Competitive Strategy and AR Vision

The critique comes as Snap continues to develop its own wearable computing hardware. Spiegel has stated that Snap has been investing in this space for over a decade, predating the addition of the chat feature to Snapchat.

Spiegel advocates for a vertically integrated approach to smart glasses, comparing the desired strategy to how Tesla developed the Roadster or Apple developed the iPhone. He believes targeting the higher end of the market is the correct move for the industry.

Regarding the capabilities of the hardware, Spiegel has downplayed Meta’s current offerings, asserting that Snap’s future augmented reality (AR) glasses will be infinitely more capable.

Privacy and Brand Perception

The tension between the two companies highlights broader industry concerns regarding user data and privacy. Meta’s smart glasses have faced scrutiny over the handling of user data and potential future plans to integrate facial recognition technology.

Spiegel’s comments suggest that these privacy concerns contribute to a brand perception that hinders Meta’s ability to sell hardware independently of a third-party fashion brand like Ray-Ban.

In a March 17, 2025, report, Spiegel expressed a continued belief in the future of Spectacles, noting that augmented reality has the potential to liberate users from their reliance on handheld devices.