Meta has revealed its new prototype of smart glasses: Orion. Unlike Ray-Ban Stories, Orion seeks to merge the physical world with digital layers, transforming the way we interact with technology.
These glasses work through the Meta ecosystem, offering an immersive experience that goes beyond entertainment. Although they are still in the testing phase and their name could change, they are already generating divided opinions.
Will this be the breakthrough that consolidates smart wearable devices? Or just another failed attempt, as happened with Google Glass? Time and user adoption will have the final say.
What are Meta’s Orion glasses?
Meta’s Orion glasses are the company’s first real foray into augmented reality (AR), a field that has been in development for years.
Unlike previous devices like the Ray-Ban Stories, which lacked AR features, the Meta Orion seeks to merge technology with the real world.
These glasses allow users to make calls, take photos, play video games and connect to a wrist band that allows them to interact with virtual objects visible through the glasses.
Meta has banked on the idea that Orion can be a kind of smartphone for the face, which represents a radical approach to freeing users from being tied to their mobile devices.
Instead of looking at a screen, the glasses provide you with all the necessary information right in front of your eyes, superimposing it on the physical environment. This integration, in the words of Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, a fundamental part of his vision of the metaverse.
The technology behind the glasses
One of the most impressive aspects of Orion glasses is the advanced technology that powers them. Equipped with cameras, microphones, speakers and sensors, these glasses not only capture images and videos, but also allow you to interact with the digital world through voice commands or gestures.
The key to its operation lies in the ability to project virtual images directly onto the lenses, creating an immersive augmented reality experience.
The first tests of the glasses have been carried out by industry experts. Although the technology still has room to evolve, critics agree that it is one of the most robust implementations to date.
However, there is one point to note: the glasses are not yet available to the public and, in fact, they are extremely expensive to produce at this early stage, with an estimated cost of $10,000 per unit.
According to Meta, this high cost is due to the use of advanced materials, such as silicon carbide, in the manufacture of the lenses. Future versions are expected to be more affordable and accessible, with improvements in resolution and a significant reduction in device thickness.
Meta Orion vs. other similar devices
This is not the first attempt to launch smart glasses on the market. A famous example is the case of Google Glass, which despite generating great expectation at the time, ultimately failed as a mass consumer product.
The reasons are still valid today, as Google Glass was never introduced to the market due to its high cost, unattractive design, and lack of real need for the average user.
Meta says it has learned from this mistake and has chosen to present the Orion with more care, ensuring that its technology is well developed before offering it to the general public.
Another inevitable comparison is with the Ray-Ban Stories (and their successors, the Ray-Ban Meta), which Meta developed in collaboration with EssilorLuxottica. Although these glasses do not include AR functions, they do offer functionalities such as video recording and music playback.
However, the absence of augmented reality in these glasses was seen as a limitation, something that Meta has addressed with the Orion.
Criticisms of the design and functionality of the Meta Orion
Although the Orion has been well received for its technology, it is not all praise. One of the most common criticisms concerns its design. At first glance, the Orion glasses are quite bulky and may look more like a sci-fi device than everyday glasses.
In a recent highly critical article, Slate’s Scott Nover argued that Meta’s glasses are simply “awful” and that no one would want to wear a computer on their face.
Nover expresses his rejection not only of the design, but also of the general idea of wearable technology devices, which he considers more of an invasion of privacy and a way to be permanently connected to the internet.
In his article, Nover mentions how other wearable technology devices, such as the Apple Watch or Snap glasses (Snapchat Spectacles), have tried without success to gain a foothold in the market, since many users do not see the need to be so “tied” to technology.
Likewise, he highlights that the current design of glasses is not discreet, and that there is still much to do for them to become an accessory that someone wants to wear every day.
Big, ugly and heavy
Even some early Orion reviewers have admitted that the design can be a problem point. CNET’s Scott Stein mentions that while the glasses are technologically impressive, their appearance is still something that could put off many potential users.
He describes them as “very, very thick glasses that could perhaps pass for extravagant fashion glasses,” but are still far from something most people would want to wear regularly.
The future? of Orion glasses
Despite the criticism, Meta is clearly committed to the development of this technology. Mark Zuckerberg has hinted that future versions of the glasses will be thinner and more aesthetically appealing.
Additionally, the company is working to reduce production costs and increase the resolution of the images projected on the lenses.
In terms of functionality, Meta is betting heavily on Orion being a key device in its vision of the metaverse, where people can interact with digital environments in a natural and fluid way.
If the company manages to deliver on its promises, the Orions could be the first step towards truly integrating augmented reality into our daily lives.
And if Zuckerberg’s vision comes to fruition, we may be looking at the next big thing in wearable devices. For now, the Orion are a window to the future, although that future is still some way off from reaching stores.
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