- Prototype glasses will be showcased soon, according to Mark Zuckerberg
- Glasses will feature augmented reality
- The glasses are still some time away yet from being available for purchase
Meta will soon demonstrate ‘full holographic’ glasses that feature augmented reality (AR), according to the company’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg.
Giddy reaction
In an interview with YouTuber Kane Sutter – aka Kallaway – Zuckerberg shared his excitement for the product. “Every person who I’ve shown it to so far, their reaction is giddy,” he said. “I’m really looking forward to showing that to more people.”
The glasses are thought likely to be revealed at Meta’s Connect conference in the fall, although they are not expected to be ready to hit shops for some time yet. “We’re focused on building the full consumer version of it rather than selling the prototype,” Zuckerberg added.
He also conceded that the prototype glasses aren’t “stylish” – with thick frames to accommodate the AR tech – but they are definitely recognisable as glasses. This sets these apart from other products on the market such as the Apple Vision Pro, which is a headset.
Working hard
Meta has been working hard on the holographic glasses as the demand for Meta Ray-Bans – which include cameras and integrated AI – has exceeded expectations. The focus has been on integrating various AR technology elements but still maintaining the form of modern glasses, Zuckerburg added.
Meta’s Reality Labs division has received billions of dollars of investment in recent years and is responsible for developing VR and AR wearable products, as well as the metaverse software that underpins them. This investment is part of a long-term plan for Meta as it is not expected that such products will make the kind of returns that are sought to justify the investment for some years yet.
