This is a big step for Meta to bring the virtual world into real life, with the ambition to compete directly with big rivals like Apple in the field of augmented reality (AR) technology.
CEO Mark Zuckerberg described the Orion glasses as a "time machine," showing a look at the potential future Meta is heading for. Although the product is still in development, this event affirms Meta's commitment to expanding and applying AR technology to daily life.
Orion is designed from magnesium alloy and runs on a silicon chip developed by Meta. Users can interact with glasses through hand, voice tracking and wrist nerve interface.
Mr. Zuckerberg emphasized that Meta is continuing to improve the size and design of glasses to make them more compact and affordable before officially launching to consumers, expected in 2027. However, Meta still faces many technical challenges and high development costs, which have prevented previous AR glasses projects such as Google Glass from achieving the expected success.
At the launch, Meta not only introduced Orion glasses but also revealed many improvements in artificial intelligence (AI). The company has updated its chatbot features and launched a new Quest mixed reality headset. The event pushed Meta shares to a record high, with a gain of 0.9% to $568.31.
Another notable product is the Ray-Meta Smart TV sunglasses, which was not popular before but has become more popular thanks to AI integration. This glasses can now scan QR codes, play music from Spotify, and even translate languages in real time. In a live performance, Mark Zuckerberg demonstrated his ability to translate between English and Spanish through a conversation with MMA Brand Moreno.
Although Meta has high expectations for AR technology, the market is still skeptical about the success of these products. Paolo Pescatore, an analyst at PP Foresight, said Meta's goal is to make AR and virtual reality (VR) technology more popular and accessible, but users still need more time to accept the presence of AI in their lives. However, Meta is constantly investing in research and development to ensure that Orion glasses and other products will become the standard in the future.
In addition, Meta also announced many new features for Meta AI virtual assistant, including the ability to interact voice with the voices of celebrities such as Judi Dench and John Cena. Zuckerberg believes that voice communication is more natural and easier to use than text interaction, helping to improve the user experience.
