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2024: A Year Of Booming Growth In Cyprus’ Service Sector

According to recent data from Cystat, Cyprus witnessed remarkable growth in its Service Turnover Index during 2024. The year-on-year increase is most notable in the final quarter, showcasing a resurgent economic trend.

Annual Turnover Highlights

The period from January to December saw notable increases across various industries. Administrative and support services led with an impressive 8.9% growth, closely followed by accommodation and food services at 8.2%. Tourism’s Record Earnings are reflective of such growth. Additionally, information and communication technologies rose by 8.0%, while real estate activities marked a 6.5% increase, underlining the island’s diverse economic sphere.

Fourth Quarter Surge

During the fourth quarter, accommodation and food services again took the lead with a 8.9% hike. Not far behind were administrative and support activities with 7.0%, and ICT at 6.5%. Real estate management and professional services also showed solid growth at 5.0% and 3.7% respectively.

For more on Cyprus’ strategic development plans, explore Cyprus Bets On Renewable Hydrogen.

Smart Glass Revolution: EssilorLuxottica And Meta Propel Wearable Innovation

Partnership Driving Growth

EssilorLuxottica has reported robust revenue growth in the third quarter, fueled by its strategic collaboration with Meta. As detailed during the earnings call, the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses significantly boosted the company’s wearable product category. With a year-over-year sales increase of 11.7% to 6.9 billion euros, more than 4 percentage points of that growth is directly attributable to the wearables segment.

Innovative Product Launches

The partnership, initiated in 2019, has expanded to include major brands under the Luxottica umbrella, such as Oakley and ongoing collaborations with Prada. The recent Meta Connect event in Menlo Park featured exciting new releases, including the $799 Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses with a unique neural-powered wristband, along with the $499 Oakley Meta Vanguard and $379 Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) glasses. These products underscore a significant shift towards smart, internet-connected eyewear that leverages Meta’s AI-powered digital assistant.

Market Trends And Future Outlook

EssilorLuxottica’s CFO, Stefano Grassi, expressed strong optimism for the near-term outlook, driven by the launch of diverse new products stemming from the Meta Connect event. With wearables anticipated to eventually replace many functionalities of today’s smartphones, the company is poised to accelerate its capacity to meet growing demand, aiming to surpass the previously set target of 10 million units by the end of 2026.

Competitive Landscape

The smart glasses market is witnessing intense competition, with tech heavyweights such as Alphabet, Alibaba, Apple, and OpenAI making their entry. Alphabet, for instance, recently announced a $150 million investment with Warby Parker, while Alibaba unveiled its own AI-powered smart glasses featuring the Quark digital assistant. This flurry of activity underscores a broader industry trend towards the integration of wearable technology with advanced AI capabilities.

Conclusion

EssilorLuxottica’s robust performance and strategic initiatives with Meta highlight a pivotal moment in consumer electronics and wearable innovation. As smart glasses continue to evolve into multifunctional digital devices, both legacy and emerging brands are set to redefine how personal technology converges with everyday life.

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