It’s pretty clear at this point that Intel wants to own face computing: The company has been pegged as providing the chip powering the next version of Google Glass, and now it’s officially announcing a partnership with (Glass partner) Luxottica Group, maker of most of the world’s most recognized eyesore, including Oakley, Persol, Armani, Coach and more. The team-up will see the company collaborate in a multiyear research and development arrangement to try to plot the course of smart eyewear for the future.
The specific details of the arrangement seem pretty slim so far – but Luxottica and Intel are anticipating the launch of their first product resulting from the collaboration in 2015. Intel clearly wants to become a leader in the wearable tech space, as opposed to a background player, which is what they’ve become on mobile, with more powerful mobile chipmakers like Qualcomm stealing the spotlight.
Smart eyewear still hasn’t proven itself as something consumers are generally very excited about, but Intel clearly doesn’t want to make the same mistake it did in the mobile market, which was to underestimate its ultimate eventual impact. This seems like it will be a direct attempt to build the future of consumer wearables, specifically, too, since Luxottica and its sub-brands appeal primarily to that space.
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