Meta plans to release its first “true” augmented reality smart glasses to the public later this year, potentially providing a glimpse into the company’s future hardware ambitions beyond virtual reality.
The glasses, codenamed “Orion,” will be developed for Meta this fall if the team can secure a “high level of performance,” according to an insider familiar with the plans who spoke to Business Insider on condition of anonymity. A demo will be held at the annual Connect conference for people.
Although Orion Glass won’t be available for general purchase right away, the demo could generate excitement for Meta’s big investment in advanced wearable devices. Orion has been in development for many years at Meta’s Reality Labs division, which handles AR, VR, and Metaverse projects.
Reality Labs and its leader Andrew Bosworth have been under intense pressure from CEO Mark Zuckerberg to make measurable progress on AR glasses this year. Unlike existing products, Zuckerberg teased the glasses with a recent photo showing a thick prototype frame.
“The new product demo could spark industry excitement about Meta’s big-ticket work in high-tech wearables,” a source told Business Insider.
Despite heavy investment from the likes of Meta and Google, AR glasses have struggled commercially. “Mark Zuckerberg is looking to change that. Meta plans to unveil the first ‘true’ augmented reality glasses at the company’s Connect event for third-party developers this fall.” said a person familiar with the matter.
The Orion glasses are separate from Ray-Ban’s Meta-branded smart glasses and Meta’s virtual reality Quest headset, which were released in 2021. Orion aims to become more technologically advanced by superimposing visual elements onto real-world views through its built-in display. Few details have been released about how Orion will deliver these immersive AR experiences.
Officials say the technology remains complex and expensive to develop, let alone produce for consumers. Mr Bosworth previously said the glasses used “prohibitively expensive” technology and described Orion as “the most advanced thing humans have ever produced as a species”.
The stakes are high for Meta, as the company faces mounting pressure on multiple fronts. With Orion, Zuckerberg and the company hope to pioneer the next computing platform after mobile phones.
Meta’s current roadmap indicates a potential release of Orion to early adopters around 2027-2028. For now, the Connect demo will be a symbolic milestone in Meta’s AR ambitions.
The glasses, codenamed “Orion,” will be developed for Meta this fall if the team can secure a “high level of performance,” according to an insider familiar with the plans who spoke to Business Insider on condition of anonymity. A demo will be held at the annual Connect conference for people.
Although Orion Glass won’t be available for general purchase right away, the demo could generate excitement for Meta’s big investment in advanced wearable devices. Orion has been in development for many years at Meta’s Reality Labs division, which handles AR, VR, and Metaverse projects.
Reality Labs and its leader Andrew Bosworth have been under intense pressure from CEO Mark Zuckerberg to make measurable progress on AR glasses this year. Unlike existing products, Zuckerberg teased the glasses with a recent photo showing a thick prototype frame.
“The new product demo could spark industry excitement about Meta’s big-ticket work in high-tech wearables,” a source told Business Insider.
Despite heavy investment from the likes of Meta and Google, AR glasses have struggled commercially. “Mark Zuckerberg is looking to change that. Meta plans to unveil the first ‘true’ augmented reality glasses at the company’s Connect event for third-party developers this fall.” said a person familiar with the matter.
The Orion glasses are separate from Ray-Ban’s Meta-branded smart glasses and Meta’s virtual reality Quest headset, which were released in 2021. Orion aims to become more technologically advanced by superimposing visual elements onto real-world views through its built-in display. Few details have been released about how Orion will deliver these immersive AR experiences.
Expanding
The stakes are high for Meta, as the company faces mounting pressure on multiple fronts. With Orion, Zuckerberg and the company hope to pioneer the next computing platform after mobile phones.
Meta’s current roadmap indicates a potential release of Orion to early adopters around 2027-2028. For now, the Connect demo will be a symbolic milestone in Meta’s AR ambitions.
