Meta, the company formerly known as Facebook, is working on true augmented reality glasses. In a blog post, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that the company is focused on two things: packing as much technology as possible into a pair of normal-looking glasses today, and miniaturizing and improving the technology until it fits into a pair of normal, good-looking glasses in the future.
Zuckerberg said that Meta has already made some progress on this front. Last month, the company launched Ray-Ban Stories, its first smart glasses in partnership with EssilorLuxottica. Ray-Ban Stories are not full AR glasses, but they do let users take pictures and videos, listen to music, and take phone calls while they're out and about. They also have built-in privacy features, such as a LED light that illuminates whenever the user is recording.
Zuckerberg said that Ray-Ban Stories are just a "first step" on the path to true augmented reality glasses. He showed a demo of a potential AR experience that would allow users to play games with friends in the real world. In the demo, the user is chatting with friends on WhatsApp and planning a game night. They can select a game and then, as they walk over to their kitchen, they can easily just put the game onto the table and start playing.
Zuckerberg said that there is still a lot of technical work to be done before true augmented reality glasses are a reality. The company needs to fit a lot of different components into a pair of glasses that are only about five millimeters thick. However, he said that Meta is making good progress and that he is confident that true augmented reality glasses will be available in the not-too-distant future.
Challenges that Meta is facing in developing true augmented reality glasses
- Miniaturization: The technology needed to power true augmented reality glasses is still very large and bulky. Meta needs to find ways to miniaturize this technology so that it can fit into a pair of glasses that are comfortable to wear.
- Power consumption: Augmented reality glasses need to be powered by a battery, but the battery life needs to be long enough to support extended use. Meta needs to develop new battery technologies that can provide longer battery life in a small form factor.
- Image quality: The image quality of augmented reality glasses needs to be high enough to create a realistic and immersive experience. Meta needs to develop new display technologies that can provide high-quality images in a small form factor.
- Software development: There needs to be a wide variety of software available for augmented reality glasses. Meta needs to work with developers to create new AR apps and games that take advantage of the unique capabilities of this technology.
Despite these challenges, Meta is confident that it can develop true augmented reality glasses. The company has a lot of experience in developing virtual reality headsets, and it is using this experience to accelerate the development of AR glasses. Meta is also investing heavily in research and development, and it is working with some of the best minds in the world to solve the challenges of AR.
It is still too early to say when true augmented reality glasses will be available to consumers. However, Meta is making good progress, and it is likely that we will see these glasses in the market in the next few years.
