Even right after Apple released its headset, Zuckerberg criticized the Vision Pro in contrast to the Meta Quest 3 and aimed to position his company’s headset as a cheaper, more accessible option. Easing away from the Pro model seems like the way forward for Meta as it aims to make its devices and services appeal to the most people possible.
Smarter Glasses
While full VR headsets may not be breaking the ground companies want them to, the lighter smart glasses category is having a moment. Snap just unveiled the newest iteration of its smart Spectacles, which are set to incorporate AI features.
Meta has also teased its first official set of augmented reality glasses, dubbed Meta Orion, that it may announce at its Connect event next week. Bosworth has very humbly described this tech as “the most advanced thing that we’ve ever produced as a species.” So anticipate some more big, sweeping announcements on that front.
Meta is already leading the way in the smart glasses ecosystem. The Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses are now in their second iteration and are juiced up with Meta’s AI services. These slick shades do a lot of things right, including having straightforward voice-powered features that work fairly well and an aesthetic that, unlike the smart glasses before it, actually look nice. (Ray-Ban should probably get most of the credit for that fashion sense, not the guy who just discovered chain necklaces.) The Ray-Ban Metas aren’t perfect, but they’re already more popular and more beloved than any other wearable face computer.
Expect a new version of these trendy frames, along with a whole bunch of new AI additions for the software that powers them. Hey, speaking of that software …
AI Always
Meta—like all its Big Tech brethren—has fully pivoted to generative AI and large language models to fuel the next phase of its growth. Meta’s AI features are bleeding into nearly all of its apps and services, and there is probably much more on this front coming during Connect.
Chatbots remain an important part of Meta’s AI plan. The company has given users access to AI-generated characters with the likenesses of Snoop Dogg and Paris Hilton. In July, Instagram also made it possible for anyone to generate custom chatbots—including an AI version of yourself. It’s likely Meta will continue that trend, even though that level of freewheeling customization comes with lots of risks of fueling misinformation.
Nonetheless, Meta is bound to continue infusing its AI into everything it does, including any and all new devices it will announce.
Tune in Wednesday for Zuckerberg’s keynote, and stay tuned to WIRED after Meta Connect kicks off for breaking news and analysis of the announcements.
