Meta’s new lightweight AR prototype shows a future beyond bulky VR headsets

As with smartphones, it will probably take a while for developers to really figure out what to do with this new mode of computer interaction. But unlike bulky VR headsets or “passthrough” mixed-reality experiences, truly lightweight AR glasses like these seem like they could be much easier to integrate into everyday tasks without awkwardness or discomfort.

Still years away

Meta’s interest in augmented reality isn’t exactly new—the company announced plans for a device like this publicly in 2019. Now that we’re at the public prototype phase, though, the finish line of an actual consumer AR product seems more within sight for Meta.

In a blog post discussing Orion, Meta says it is “one of the most polished product prototypes we’ve ever developed, and is truly representative of something that could ship to consumers.” But The Verge notes that constructing that prototype currently runs Meta a whopping $10,000 per unit, which is far from a consumer-friendly price point.

At Connect, Zuckerberg said the team is working to scale things up on the manufacturing side to make things more affordable, as well as aiming for a sharper display and sleeker, more fashionable design. That effort could culminate in products based on this prototype “in the next few years,” according to Meta’s blog post. That would align with a leaked 2023 Meta hardware roadmap that projected its first AR glasses to launch in 2027.

In the meantime, Zuckerberg said Orion would be used as an internal prototype for Meta to build its AR operating system and loaned to “a handful of external partners” to start working on software. “This is where we are going,” Zuckerberg said. “These glasses exist, they are awesome, and they are… a glimpse of a future that I think is going to be pretty exciting.”