Meta’s smart glasses are getting a fresh look and enhanced functionality with the introduction of Orion. Investments in Reality Labs are reaching a new level.
For years, both Silicon Valley and Wall Street have questioned Mark Zuckerberg’s decision to pour tens of billions of dollars into Reality Labs. Now, Meta’s wearables division has revealed a prototype of its Orion smart glasses—a design the company believes could one day replace the iPhone.
Meta smart glasses are more functional with Orion
Orion is a prototype headset that combines augmented reality, eye and hand tracking, generative AI, and a motion-sensing wristband. Meta appears to have overcome a long-standing AR imaging challenge using micro-LED projectors and silicon carbide lenses. The concept is that you can see through Orion while also viewing application windows projected onto the lenses, which seem to be embedded in the world around you. Ideally, users will be able to navigate the environment using their hands, eyes, and voice.
To be clear, Meta’s Orion smart glasses are larger than your average reading glasses, reportedly cost $10,000 each, and won’t be available anytime soon. We are likely talking about years down the road. All of the technology in Orion is relatively new, and it still needs to become cheaper, better, and smaller before it evolves into a smart pair of glasses you could buy at the mall. Zuckerberg mentioned that Meta has been working on Orion for 10 years, yet there’s still no clear path to a sellable product. However, Meta is not the only company aiming to create a smartphone replacement.
Snap has introduced its latest generation of Spectacles smart glasses, which are larger than Orion and offer a more limited field of view. At its I/O conference in May, Google hinted that it is also working on a smart headset. Apple is reportedly developing AR glasses similar to Orion, and we cannot overlook Jony Ive’s new venture, LoveFrom, where he recently confirmed that he is collaborating with OpenAI on an AI wearable.
These devices represent a significant departure from the Quest virtual reality headsets that Meta has supported for years, as well as Apple’s Vision Pro. While they share similar technologies like eye tracking and hand tracking, the experience of using them feels entirely different. VR headsets are often bulky, uncomfortable to wear, and can cause nausea from prolonged screen exposure.
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