Meta Has Unveiled Orion, The ‘World’s Most Advanced AR Glasses’

At the Meta Connect event, CEO Mark Zuckerberg unveiled Orion, Meta’s upcoming brain-powered augmented reality (AR) glasses. Described as “the most advanced glasses the world has ever seen,” Orion is significantly smaller than Snap’s Spectacles 5 and uses mini projectors to create a heads-up display similar to a modernized Google Glass. Despite the impressive reveal, Zuckerberg noted that Orion is still in development and requires fine-tuning before reaching consumers.

A decade in the making, Orion represents a leap toward true AR, combining a holographic display with personalized AI assistance in an all-day wearable form factor. Orion is controlled via a “neural interface,” derived from Meta’s acquisition of CTRL-labs, with a wristband compatible with the glasses. Although Orion is still in the conceptual phase, Meta aims to position it as a successor to its Ray-Ban Meta glasses, which gained attention for pioneering display-less AI-powered smart glasses.

Orion boasts the largest field of view (FOV) in the smallest form factor, setting it apart from competitors like Snap’s Spectacles, which are bulkier with a narrow FOV. Meta claims Orion will offer immersive experiences like multitasking, big-screen entertainment, and life-size holograms that seamlessly blend with the physical world.

Initially, Orion will only be available to developers, following a common strategy in the tech industry. Meta hopes to inspire innovation and content creation for the platform, similar to how the Ray-Ban Meta glasses exceeded expectations. Meta AI integration in Ray-Bans hints at the potential power of visual elements, such as translation and navigation, in future AR devices.

Though costly to develop, with reports estimating $10,000 per unit, Meta remains optimistic about Orion’s potential. As Meta continues refining the product, it envisions Orion not just as a futuristic device but as a tangible step toward integrating digital and physical realities.