A new smart glasses is coming from Meta called the "Orion," and this long-rumored wearable will be its first "true" augmented reality spectacles that would bring the sought-after feature. The previous devices from Meta were the renowned collaboration it had with Ray-Ban, but while it promises a "smart glasses" experience, it does not have the AR features.
What sets AR glasses apart is their ability to display intuitive information on the glasses, and also add augmented features that add information and more.
Meta's 'True' AR Smart Glasses, Orion, Will Demo Later This 2024
Business Insider reported that Meta is now looking to demo its pair of "true" AR smart glasses that will take place this Fall 2024, via the Meta Connect event. It will highlight the "Orion," said to be the internal name of the device, and it will be a standalone wearable from the company which would be different from its current Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses lineup.
It was said from rumors that the Orion would be the more technologically advanced version of its smart glasses, capable of several mixed-reality experiences. However, it would not be a full-blown XR wearable like the Quest 3 which transcends gaming and other AR features.
However, there is the belief that Meta is not yet ready to demo the Orion this year, but the claim remains for a late 2024 showcase of the device.
What to Expect from Meta's Orion with Augmented Reality
While it will not yet be ready by 2024, a demonstration will take place, but the public will be seeing the actual iteration of this wearable come 2027, its general release date. There is not much information about the Orion's features, but it is expected to feature cameras and AI, alongside the augmented reality features which rumors claim to be its main focus.
Meta's AR Smart Glasses Venture
The first iteration of Meta's smart glasses venture was back in September 2021, and this is when the company introduced its new wearable called the Meta Ray-Ban Stories. Initially, it was made as a stylish companion wearable to Meta's Instagram platform, and this will help capture photos and videos of events happening in real-time, and upload them directly to social media.
It was considered a flop, as only 10 percent of users who had it from 2021 to 2023 were using it, and others left it to be forgotten.
However, back in September 2023, the company went ahead to launch the new and improved version of this, calling it the Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses which still center on media-capturing capabilities and direct Instagram streaming.
That being said, Meta is still planning for the real deal to come in the future, one that would feature augmented reality to its users and integrate this much-awaited technology to an all-new form factor. The Orion remains a massive rumor until today, and the insider reports about this upcoming demonstration later this year may be the time when Meta takes on a different road towards its wearables.
