Will Meta’s new ‘Ray Bans’ allow us a brighter virtual future?

October 4, 2023 | by John Mc Keown | 0

Just became aware of a new product from Meta.

This is an improvement on an existing product.

‘The new glasses feature improved audio and cameras, over 150 different custom frame and lens combinations, and they’re lighter and more comfortable.

Tekedia Mini-MBA edition 16 (Feb 10 – May 3, 2025) opens registrations; register today for early bird discounts.

Tekedia AI in Business Masterclass opens registrations here.

Join Tekedia Capital Syndicate and invest in Africa’s finest startups here.

You can now livestream from the glasses to Facebook or Instagram, and use “Hey Meta” to engage with Meta AI, our advanced conversational assistant, just by using your voice.’ – Meta

I’ve never been a huge fan of phone apps because I like to have a strong focus on core activities in the moment.

I pay sustained attention to people I am engaging with in person, and to the general surroundings when I am out in public, down to the minutest detail.

The primary source of data for human beings is their own senses, and its important to keep a clear channel of observation open at all times to whatever may be a primary stimulus, without the intrusion of ‘middlemen’.

Gradually, over the last decade, my near sight has deteriorated somewhat, and this has further reduced the value of smartphones to me.

I generally engage with platform content through a desktop computer with a large screen at a fixed location, and if I think its essential to have platform access on the move, I’ll take my laptop in a back-pack style case, and I have a little wifi hotspot device, so I don’t have to rely on third party WIFI.

The new Ray Ban boasts more storage, longer running life (photos, video recording etc) improved sound system for music play, bass and yada yada yada.

The voice control also creates great options for spontaneous content capturing without having to struggle with finding your phone from whichever pocket or pouch…

But what I find most interesting about it, is its ability to live stream to your Instagram or Facebook account, as long as you have those apps installed on your phone, and your phone is somewhere on your person (could even be buried in the backpack!). There is no mention of ‘Threads’

I’d now like to take an aside to think about where I exercise the most online presence, which is probably LinkedIn.

At one point, LinkedIn core component was a sort of job board. The rise of online platforms coincided with the end of the concept of ‘a job for life’ and it filled a need as large portions of global working populations would need to adapt to having to change jobs severally or even many times in a lifetime. Many others moved to freelancing.

Microsoft bought LinkedIn in 2016, and the ‘feed’ feature took centre stage. This gradually brought B2C vendors, influencers, and content creators to LinkedIn. Confrontations of sorts began between OG LinkedIn Stalwarts, and newer contributor types whose first engagement experiences generally came from other platforms.

The new kids were ‘up in arms’ about old guard objecting to hearing ‘human stories’ but the truth is, the change was nothing about moral conflict.

Across all platforms, users began to have one thing in common – they all wanted to MONETIZE – some through a new job, some through recruitment contracts, others through selling their products on the strength of their engagement.

On the fringes, we have platforms like Upwork, Indeed and Fiverr, closer to the original raison d’être of LinkedIn.

The toughest nut to crack on LinkedIn, is monetizing engagement in itself.

Metrics are not Revenue.

Notoriety of a business can build trust, by its leader educating with tough truths, and challenging perceptions. No pain, no gain.

‘Human Stories’ just lead to resonance, and that’s a service with about 8 billion providers globally, and no unique customers. Instagramming, Tik Tokking and X-ing LinkedIn create an eye catching, but instantly forgettable experience with no enduring traction.

Why is all this important in respect of the Meta Ray Ban?

Because somehow, the blend of platforms core features, user monetization skills, and the new product integration have to improve the user’s potential to make money.

It’s a long time since a puritan ‘social media’ like ‘Friendster’ was ‘a thing’.

Can the new Meta Ray Ban change Instagram and Facebook the way the ‘feed’ feature changed LinkedIn?

Well, it isn’t a core function of the platforms themselves, its an external piece of hardware, so that’s probably unlikely.

At $300 its way more affordable to Google’s alternative at $1500, but for 9ja Cosmos, there isn’t an attractive platform product in the Meta stable right now.

Any evolution of those platforms in our direction, fuelled by the Ray Ban, would probably be a long time coming, if ever.

Liquidity is like gold right now, and 9ja Cosmos has better things it could do with $300!