Meta boosts smart eyewear capabilities with acquisition of Luxexcel

Meta has confirmed that it is acquiring Luxexcel, a smart eyewear company based in the Netherlands.

Tech giant Meta is making another acquisition amid antitrust scrutiny over its purchase of VR fitness developers Within. The terms of the deal, which was first reported by Belgian paper De Tijd, have not been disclosed.

Founded in 2009, Luxexcel uses 3D printing to produce prescription lenses for glasses. In recent years, the company has shifted its focus to smart lenses, which can be printed with integrated technology such as LCD displays and holographic film.

Meta, a company known for its AR and VR products, has announced that it will acquire Luxexcel, a company specializing in 3D printing for eyewear. The move follows reports of a partnership between the two companies on Project Aria, Meta's augmented reality research initiative. Meta recently released the Ray-Ban Stories, a pair of smart glasses that can take photos and videos, make voice-controlled calls, and access Meta platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook.

The acquisition of Luxexcel may allow Meta to utilize the company's technology to produce prescription AR glasses, a product that has been long-anticipated to come out of Meta's investment in its Reality Labs. Meta has a history of acquiring smaller companies with advanced technology in the AR and VR field, including Oculus, which it acquired in 2014 to produce its Quest headset.

There have been rumors that Meta may be scaling back its plans for consumer-grade AR glasses, which were originally slated for release in 2024. It is possible that the acquisition of Luxexcel could attract scrutiny from the Federal Trade Commission, similar to its attempted block of Meta's purchase of Within.

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