Meta Quest 3, cheaper VR headset, AR glasses … Meta would like to flood the market by 2027

Meta seems to believe in connected glasses and augmented reality: the company employs thousands of employees to design first models as well as ” wrist devices to control them »». Some time ago, Mark Zuckerberg was talking about this type of product like ” Holy Grail “, Who ” will redefine our relationship with technology “By 2030.

We have seen Xiaomi AR glasses and their technology promises to be stunning

Xiaomi presented her all new Args in front of the press. We could see a quick handling without using them ourselves. Our first impressions are good.

Xiaomi surprised his world by presenting a little differently different product at the MWC 2023: Xiaomi Wireless ar smart Glass Discovery Edition (which we will call Xiaomi Glass during this paper if you will). Frandroid was lucky to be able to attend a presentation of the glasses and to see them wear. What have a little more precise idea of ​​the concept.

Because on paper, the device has a crowd of technologies. We are told about micro oled, Xiaomi ar gesture control, an angular resolution or PPD (pixels by degree) which approaches 60 … in short we were a little lost and afraid of the product a little tote and disembodied. We have indeed seen them and we can confirm that they exist, even if they will probably never come out in this form or before several generations.

Use case

Let’s start with the layout of these glasses. By seeing them closer, we understood better where each element was. In place of a glass that would house a screen, there are two layers here: a first with a micro OLED screen, therefore, relatively thick, then a second which imitates traditional glasses. Thanks to the use of “electrochromic” lenses, the glass of this second layer, that which your interlocutors actually see from the outside, can take a more smoked tone. You have the choice between a so -called transparent look and a so -called “immersive” look that allows you to cut yourself off from the world.

Meta Quest 3, cheaper VR headset, AR glasses … Meta would like to flood the market by 2027

The media “The Verge” reveals the Meta roadmap for the next few years in terms of connected glasses. A first pair would be born in 2025, while it will take two additional years to even a pair dedicated to augmented reality. The company of Mark Zuckerberg does not give up virtual reality: several other helmets are already planned.

The trend of the MWC 2023 which is currently taking place in Barcelona is with connected and augmented reality glasses: we were able to discover the first model of Xiaomi as well as the Oppo Air Glass 2. Samsung would work on a first iteration and the Apple Glass are eagerly awaited.

For her part, Meta also would develop this type of product: The Verge reveals details shared internally about the company’s roadmap for the coming years.

On the program: a first pair of glasses ” intelligent »From 2025, controllable with a connected watch« at neural interface “, As well as a real pair of AR glasses in 2027. Virtual reality is not, however, put aside: Meta has in her plans three new virtual reality headsets at least.

What Meta provides for her future connected glasses

In Alex Heath’s article, we learn that a presentation of the Meta roadmap in terms of virtual reality and augmented reality was shared with thousands of employees. They are part of the company Reality Labs division and were able to know Meta’s plans for the years to come. The company would bet on consumer products to win on the market, where it is believed that Apple would bet on professionals at first.

This presentation comes in a difficult context: the figure of the VR John Carmack left the ship of Mark Zuckerberg a few months ago. He then denounced a lack of efficiency of the teams. But that’s not all: last November, we learned that 11,000 employees of the company were going to be dismissed, or 13 % of Meta’s total workforce. On the other hand, virtual reality seems to work within Meta: the vice-president of the VR division, Mark Rabkin, would have declared that Meta sold nearly 20 million helmets around the world.

Meta Quest 3 from 2023 and two other planned helmets: the VR is always

Mark Rabkin acknowledges that new buyers of Meta Quest 2 (for example those who have acquired one at Christmas) are less involved in the use of their helmet than previous buyers. The strategy to adopt according to him is to facilitate the sharing of VR content on other platforms, rethink the Quest store and ” give developers the opportunity to do things like automated promotions “, note The Verge. The objective assumed by the manager is user growth and retention.

The other important element to remember is the arrival of Meta Quest 3, code name: Stinson.

META Quest 3

According to information obtained by The Verge, This virtual reality headset would be twice as fine and at least twice as powerful as the Meta Quest 2. At the price level, it would be launched at $ 400, a little more expensive than the previous version. The objective of charging ” a bit more “Would be fully assumed, because for Rabkin, Meta must” prove to people that all this power, all these new features are worth it. »»

This helmet would be comparable to the Meta Quest Pro in the sense that it would highlight mixed reality experiences via front cameras that broadcast live what is happening in the real world. It would be the main argument for the sale of the product. M. Rabkin even imagines that users will be able to wander in their home, the helmet on the head: according to him, we can wear it much longer.

The other challenge is obviously software: Meta must offer many experiences, which is more qualitative. Forty -one new applications/video games would be in the game with the Quest 3.

A more affordable VR helmet

However, this would not be the only virtual reality headset provided by Meta: a more accessible model would arrive in 2024, to attract a wider audience and democratize Meta technologies. No additional details have been revealed, simply the code name: Ventura.

A series of the Meta Quest Pro really reserved for ” pros »»

The vice-president of the VR department did not specify anything about a future version of the Meta Quest Pro launched last year. A model that would come closest to it would be planned, but ” very far in the future », With the code name Jolla.

This product would have higher definition screens for professional use. The comfort of the Quest Pro and the way it is carried would be preserved, but the architecture would be modified.

It is clear that Meta has by far the most complete virtual reality ecosystem, both in terms of the experiences offered and in terms of marketed products. However, competition also tends to develop: this is the case with Apple and its future mixed reality headset.

For his part, Sony consolidates his expertise with his PS VR 2 released a few weeks ago. However, VR headsets are not the only reality simulation products that could democratize: connected and augmented reality glasses could also be in the game. A part in which Meta would like to participate.

For Meta, augmented reality glasses will replace our smartphones

Meta seems to believe in connected glasses and augmented reality: the company employs thousands of employees to design first models as well as ” wrist devices to control them »». Some time ago, Mark Zuckerberg was talking about this type of product like ” Holy Grail “, Who ” will redefine our relationship with technology “By 2030.

The rest of the Ray-Ban Stories planned for 2023

The vice-president of the augmented reality division of Meta, Alex Himel, would have exposed Meta’s plans for augmented reality until 2027. Among the current projects, there would first be a launch next fall of a second generation of Ray-Ban Stories. These are so -called ” intelligent “Equipped with a camera that will be launched in collaboration with Luxottica, the parent company of Ray-Ban.

When the first version was released in 2021, we mainly accused this product its price: 409 euros at launch. Although no precision at the rate level was given during this presentation, one might think that Meta works to reduce the costs of these future Ray-Ban Stories.

First real connected glasses for 2025

Himel would have continued the presentation by indicating that the third generation of these glasses would have a screen, described as ” viewfinder »». It would allow ” to visualize incoming text messages, to scan QR codes and to translate a text in another language in real time “Reports The Verge.

These glasses would be equipped with a ” neural interface »: With hand movements, we can control the glasses. A control that would also be possible with the fingers, to use for example a virtual keyboard. The long -term objective would be to be able to type as fast as with your smartphone.

A connected watch to control your pair of glasses

Indeed, rumors suggested that Meta had stopped the design of connected watches with a detachable screen and cameras. If the project would be well put on break, Himel would have confirmed the development of a connected watch to control these glasses.

The media The Verge continues by reporting a demonstration made by Alex Himel in front of the employees. During a video call, ” The glasses cameras showed the bearer’s frontal perspective at the same time as a selfie view was shown by the watch camera », Can we read.

In fact, this connected watch would have an option to add a neuronal bracelet supplied with the glasses. A wearable Who ” will also be integrated into Meta’s social media applications, like WhatsApp, and will offer health and fitness functions. Besides, Meta announced last month of new fitness functions on her virtual reality headsets: the opportunity to gain expertise in this field.

AR glasses not before 2027

But the real first model of Meta’s augmented reality glasses would arrive later: marketing would be scheduled for 2027. Internally, the project would have the name of code Orion, in development for eight years and would be more technically advanced. It would be a more expensive product and designed ” To project high quality avatars holograms over the real world “Writes journalist Alex Heath. In addition, an internal test phase would be scheduled for next year.

In 2027, Meta would therefore plan to launch a range ” Innovation “Of these AR glasses for first users, but also a range” Scale », Updated version of controlled connected glasses with a connected watch (which would be accompanied by a second generation of the bracelet).

Meta believes hard in augmented reality

For the vice-president of the augmented reality department, its target market today represents two billion pairs of glasses and hundreds of millions of connected watches sold each year. He would have said that ” If we can put on the shelves an excellent product at an excellent price with the right value, we think that we can enter these upgrade cycles and have a lot of growth for our devices »».

Direct product sale would not, however, be the heart of the Meta economic model in this area. This would remain advertising, a source of historical income of the company. Himel has added to think of being able to achieve an average turnover by higher user than Meta can generate with his social networks. It would be possible ” Thanks to a combination of sale of virtual goods, options such as cloud backups and AR advertisements », Writes Alex Heath.

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