Titan Eye+ is introducing its EyeX which is aimed at prescription glass users. “The whole thought process was to design and develop a product keeping eye care as the central theme,” Saumen Bhaumik, CEO, Eyewear Division, Titan Company Limited told indianexpress.com.
The smart eyewear can function as prescription glasses (+/- 5) and is powered by a Qualcomm processor though the company has not specified the chipset version. It comes with a touch control panel on the side and a built-in pedometer to track fitness such as steps. EyeX also comes with open ear speakers and can read out notifications to the user and will connect with Alexa or Siri. The touch panel on the side also lets users control music, listen to calls from their phone, etc
The glasses start at Rs 9,999 though the cost goes up with prescription lenses. These are also sweat-resistant with an IP54 rating and come with Bluetooth 5.2. Users can also rely on these as computer glasses, meaning they can work as ‘Blue Ray’ protection lenses. They can also pick photochromatic lenses for indoor/outdoor usage.
The spectacles have a USB port option for charging and can last four to five hours of continuous usage. Users have the option of switching these off when not using the smart features.
Titan’s perspective is that spectacles are mostly used all day, especially for prescription users. “Specs are a constant company and whoever is using spectacles for prescription requirements, this frame is sitting on your nose for 12 or 14 or 16 hours. Our reasoning was what if this device could do more than what it already does,” Bhaumik explained.
When asked whether the battery life was too less, he said, it would be enough for continuous usage for most users.
It should also be noted that this is actually Titan’s third iteration of smart glasses and the company is incorporating learnings from previous versions with the new variants. The company first launched smart eyewear in 2019 during Diwali and “sold a few 100 pieces,” according to the CEO. It then followed this up with the Fastrack audio sunglasses.
And Titan made a few learnings from the earlier two variants, which are visible in EyeX. “In the first version, the form factor was a big problem. It did not suit many faces. Plus, we had to incorporate all the electronics inside and size was a problem. The second version was more like sunglasses. In this version, we’ve used a shape that is appropriate to most Indian faces. It also weighs only 34 grams and is one of the lightest options to sit on your face,” he pointed out, adding that they used a special algorithm to figure out the best eyewear shape for most Indian faces.
Titan has also added an app this time with the EyeX, which was missing in the previous versions. The company claims this new app can add extra functionality for customers.
In Bhaumik’s view, the smart category will continue to grow at a rapid pace with nearly three-digit percentage growth, and which is exactly why Titan does not want to be left behind.
While the bigger tech companies, such as Apple and Meta, planning to launch eyewear that will have AR and VR functionality built-in, Titan is choosing to focus on what it knows best: comfort and familiarity with some smart features. “There is no indication that there will be any slowdown in this segment. More consumers will come in. Form factor, comfort, functionality, and, of course, the price tag will determine who wins it at the end,” he added.