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Meta has previewed its future by unveiling prototype Orion holographic glasses that deliver an Apple Vision Pro-like experience without the bulk of a headset.
The early augmented reality device shown at Connect 2024 uses a waveguide system to project imagery to a nanoscale surface on the glasses. You can interact with a mix of 2D and 3D apps without requiring passthrough cameras. The Orion experience even includes Vision Pro-style 3D representations of other people.
It also promises similarly natural interactions. You can use voice commands, hand gestures, and a “wrist-based neural interface” that includes a Vision Pro-like double pinch gesture.
The biggest breakthrough may be the more realistic form factor. A frame made of silicon carbide and magnesium makes them light, and the 70-degree field of view gives you a relatively wide space for the apps that appear in front of you.
The prototype will be available to a handful of external partners to help create content. However, Meta fully expects to turn these into consumer glasses you can actually buy. The tech giant doesn’t have a tentative release date or price, so they might be years away.
Company chief Mark Zuckerberg acknowledged this in the Connect 2024 keynote. However, he expected the finished glasses to look and perform better than the thick-rimmed eyewear from the demo. It should get slimmer and more stylish. The displays should be sharper, and the price of the technology will become “a lot more affordable,” according to the CEO.
It’s well-known that Meta has been working on full AR glasses for a long time. However, Orion suggests Meta is much closer to achieving that goal and might beat some of the competition. Snap’s fifth-generation Spectacles have their own operating system, but they weigh 226g (Meta is aiming for 100g) and are considerably bulkier while offering a wider view (70 vs. 46 degrees).
Battery life for Orion remains an unknown, but could be one of the greatest remaining challenges. The Spectacles last for just 45 minutes of continuous use, making them unrealistic for a wearable you’d use every day.
Even so, this suggests that Meta has addressed the core problem for the Vision Pro: it’s far too large, heavy, and short-lived to be practical for all-day use. Apple has the advantage of shipping a real product, but its headset’s $3,499 starting price and a lack of must-have apps has largely limited its appeal to enthusiasts and professionals.
Meta is clearly aiming for a considerably larger audience, and wants its product to roughly match the feel of conventional glasses. It already has basic experience on this front with its popular Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses. As such, it’s not surprising that the company wants to wait — it doesn’t want to ship until it can eliminate many of the existing objections to the technology.
