Meta, the American technology company that was previously known as Facebook, recently announced its plans for the coming years in the field of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR).
During a roadmap presentation last Tuesday, Meta revealed details of its future advancements in virtual and augmented reality to its thousands of employees working in its Reality Labs division. The discussion notably outlined the company's plans to continue investing in consumer devices, despite several financial setbacks and budget cuts.
Among the many announcements made during this presentation, Meta revealed plans to launch its first fully functional AR glasses in 2027. According to The Verge, this will be the device that CEO Mark Zuckerberg predicts will eventually be used as commonly as phones portable. Perhaps this will be Meta's "iPhone moment," as Mr. Zuckerberg previously said.
Meta's future AR glasses will be able to project high-quality avatars through holograms into the real world. Employees will be able to test these glasses in 2024 during an internal launch, but the general public won't be able to see them until 2027, when the company will release its "Innovation" AR glasses collection, as well as a "Scale" range less technological.
While waiting for the launch of these highly anticipated AR glasses, Meta plans to release other devices. The company will update its RayBan Stories glasses later this year, and an even more powerful Quest 3 headset will launch soon after. Next year, Meta intends to launch a VR headset called "Ventura", and in 2025, the third generation of RayBan Stories glasses will be released to the market with a "viewfinder" screen.
In addition to these devices, Meta also announced plans to launch a smartwatch. The company hopes to launch the device as early as 2025, with plans to integrate it with its other devices and services.
Meta's roadmap for the future indicates that the company is committed to investing in and advancing the fields of VR and AR, with plans to launch several innovative devices in the coming years.