Meta Unveils Orion AR Glasses: A Glimpse into the Future of Smartphones

Meta Platforms has taken a bold step toward the future of communication with the unveiling of its first augmented reality (AR) glasses, named Orion. These sleek, black glasses can display text messages, video calls, and even YouTube videos in the wearer’s field of vision. They were revealed at Meta’s Connect conference in Menlo Park, California, as part of a larger vision by CEO Mark Zuckerberg to one day offer an alternative to smartphones.

While the Orion glasses are still prototypes and not yet available for sale, Meta aims to continue testing and refining them internally. The company hopes that these AR glasses will eventually replace smartphones as a hands-free way of interacting with the digital world. An accompanying wristband uses nerve stimulation to allow users to control the glasses by making small hand gestures, while cameras in the frames track eye movements, offering a more immersive experience.

Meta’s Push Toward AR Dominance

Meta’s CTO, Andrew Bosworth, explained that the Orion glasses represent nearly a decade of technological progress. Despite being a prototype, Bosworth believes that AR glasses could become a consumer product within the next decade, adding that Meta is already working on two additional models. “The next few years will be focused on refining the glasses,” Bosworth noted, hinting at plans to make Orion as affordable as high-end laptops or smartphones.

The glasses are a culmination of substantial investment, with Meta pouring tens of billions of Rands into augmented reality over the past four years. Meta is already a player in the wearable tech market with its Ray-Ban smart glasses, but Orion takes this concept further by integrating a digital display directly into the lenses.

Zuckerberg’s vision for AR glasses goes beyond mere gadgetry. If Meta succeeds, these AR devices could dramatically reduce the company’s dependence on tech giants like Apple and Google, as Meta’s glasses would provide a new way for users to interact with its platforms.

The Challenge of AR Glasses

Despite the excitement, Meta acknowledges that the road to mass-market AR glasses is long. Orion’s current design, while groundbreaking, is not yet stylish or compact enough for the public. The development of these glasses has faced similar challenges to those encountered by Google and Microsoft, whose earlier AR efforts never gained mainstream success.

Meta’s approach stands apart from competitors like Apple’s Vision Pro headset, as Orion doesn’t require a bulky head strap or battery pack to operate. Instead, Orion boasts seven cameras for tracking eye movements and integrates electromyography technology via a wristband to detect subtle hand movements. These advances allow for a more seamless, hands-free experience.

The technology inside Orion is cutting-edge, with more than 10 custom-designed computer chips embedded in the glasses. Meta chose silicon carbide for the lenses instead of glass, making them lighter and better at bending light at extreme angles. However, Meta is still searching for a more cost-effective alternative to keep the future retail price within reach of general consumers.

Meta’s Next Steps

While Orion is still in the prototype phase, Meta is expanding its internal testing programme, with hundreds of employees already using the glasses. In contrast to Snap Inc., which recently introduced AR glasses only available to developers, Meta has a vision to bring Orion to the general market within the next few years. When that happens, Meta hopes that the glasses will offer an entirely new way to communicate and engage with the digital world, leaving smartphones behind.

Alongside the announcement of Orion, Meta also introduced a cheaper version of its Quest 3S virtual reality headset. With a lower price point and similar functionality to its predecessor, the Quest 3S aims to make virtual and augmented reality more accessible to consumers. It will be available from October 15, priced from as little as R5,161, compared to the R8,602 cost of the Quest 3.

As Meta continues to evolve its AR and VR technologies, the world watches with anticipation. Could these Orion AR glasses truly replace smartphones? While this reality may still be years away, it’s clear that Meta is paving the way for a future where AR technology could become as ubiquitous as the smartphone is today.