Meta has long been rumored to be working on a pair of augmented reality smart glasses, and we may finally get a look at them later this year.
Citing anonymous meta sources, to Business Insider report claims the company plans to demo a pair of true AR smart glasses later this fall at Meta Connect. The glasses, internally called “Orion”, are a separate product from the recently launched Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses and its Meta Quest headphones. The first product, while featuring some beta multi-modal audio ai features and a camera, does not have any AR visual elements. Meanwhile, the Meta Quest headsets are primarily used for virtual reality gaming and a handful of mixed reality experiences. Apparently what makes these Orion glasses “true” AR devices is the fact that they are supposed to be more technologically advanced with a visual element; We don't know much more yet. The report suggests that there is a lot of internal pressure at Meta to have a high-quality demo and that some members of the company have been experimenting with advanced prototypes.
That said, it doesn't look like the Orion glasses are ready for prime time just yet. Business Well-informed person He says that even if the glasses are shown on Meta Connect, they will not be available to the public. The edgeAlex Heath reported last year that 2024 was when the company plans an “in-house” launch of the glasses, with a public launch scheduled for 2027. Before that, we're more likely to see a third generation of Ray-Ban. smart glasses in 2025 that come with a “neural interface band” as an input device.
Any demonstration would likely be a way to whet the public's appetite for what's to come. I've written this before, but it's not just technology that needs to evolve before we're all walking around with smart glasses on our faces. Cultural norms also need to adapt, which is why we're seeing companies like Meta and Apple launch more specialized mixed reality products. now. One of the reasons Ray-Ban's Meta Smart Glasses seem to be doing well is the fact that they have a familiar form factor and fill certain niches, such as content creation, surprisingly well.
Should Meta present a neat demo of an impressive system and labor A pair of real AR smart glasses this year? It would be a smart move to convince the average citizen that AR's future is worth living in.
