Meta is branching out beyond social media software, venturing into the hardware domain with considerable ambition. The company plans to launch its AR glasses, dubbed “Nazare”, which have been developed through billions of dollars in investment, within this year.
Following the Quest 3, Meta is now introducing its first true AR glasses
These glasses are designed to be exceptionally light and advanced, resembling regular spectacles in appearance. Alongside Nazare, Meta is reportedly planning to offer a more affordable AR glasses model, known as “Hypernova”, in 2024.
These glasses will pair with smartphones, displaying notifications and contextually relevant information on a small screen. This functionality is akin to Google Glass, but presented within a normal eyeglass frame.
Creating AR glasses presents significant challenges for Meta, particularly in finding a suitable method of input. VR controllers are impractical for glasses intended for use outside the home. Although voice recognition technology has matured, many people may be reluctant to dictate private texts aloud in public.
Typing on a virtual keyboard might be an option, but it can be tiresome and lacks the tactile feedback of touchscreens. Meta plans to bundle both Nazare and Hypernova with a neural wristband that reads neural signals using EMG (electromyography).
This device will be capable of tracking finger movements and detecting subtle finger gestures that may go unnoticed by others. The wristband is expected to be included as a control method with both Nazare and Hypernova in 2024.
Meta’s plans will certainly face competition. Apple is reportedly planning its own AR glasses for 2025, and Google is also developing its glasses, having acquired a supplier. Other tech giants like Amazon are also anticipated to enter the fray. However, Meta has been working on this technology for nearly eight years and Zuckerberg has invested more in this area than other companies.
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