If you’ve been anywhere near the internet in the last month, you know the name Elon Musk. The leader of Tesla, then SpaceX, is making headlines for his takeover of Twitter. In all the hype, it’s easy to overlook the other billionaire tech giant that owns a social media platform. Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, turned to the metaverse. His technology company, Meta, promises the delivery of an official pair of augmented reality glasses.
Everyone in the media is focused on Elon Musk’s latest adventures. As a result, little attention is paid to the progress of Meta or these glasses. Unfortunately for the company and consumers, it looks like augmented reality glasses are still a long way from being ready for sale or use.
Zuckerberg has invested massive resources in Meta and its pursuit of the Metaverse. However, there isn’t much reward at this point. After numerous delays and setbacks, current projections show that augmented reality glasses could be ready by 2024. However, after a number of delays already, it wouldn’t be surprising if this happened again. Here is a brief overview of the current status and some of the issues associated with Meta’s augmented reality glasses.
What is meta?
For those who don’t already know, Meta is Mark Zuckerberg’s attempt to introduce the metaverse.
The Metaverse is a somewhat complex subject as a whole. Essentially, it is the process of creating a virtual reality world and society. Users will have a device that will allow them to enter this virtual reality, create an avatar and interact with other users in the metaverse. A recent USA Today article may provide a more detailed description of the Metaverse and what it means.
Zuckerberg has massive plans for the Metaverse, even calling it “the holy grail of technology.” These plans all start with his company, Meta, and their search for augmented reality glasses. They believe that through augmented reality glasses and the metaverse social link, one can reach new heights.
Supposedly, users will be able to interact, learn and socialize with each other in virtual 3D spaces. While the plans for the metaverse and augmented reality glasses are mind-boggling, the reality at this point is a little underwhelming.
Early delays
Despite Zuckerberg’s lofty goals for eyewear, current developments show that we are still far from ready for the market.
Currently, Meta employees are working quickly to try to deliver a working product by 2024. However, the project has already been delayed several times, and at this stage there are no working wearable prototypes. The current product used for testing and demonstration is fixed on a table. It is not ready for consumer use.
Despite the difficulties encountered at the start of development, the company is already working on a second and third generation of glasses for 2026 and 2028. Although the metaverse could completely change our society, it seems likely that we will have to wait at least a few years. Augmented reality glasses will have to hit the market and appear in homes.
Battle of the Tech Giants
While Zuckerberg and Meta may promote the societal benefits of the Metaverse, other factors are most certainly at play. Despite Facebook’s success, Mark Zuckerberg’s company needed a rebrand. Recent privacy and data scandals have left many people with a bad taste in their mouths, including Zuckerberg.
The hope is that by being at the forefront of this next wave, Zuckerberg and Meta can shake off these negative associations.
Moreover, in addition to a battle for its reputation, the company is also fighting a battle with other tech giants. Companies such as Microsoft and Apple currently dominate the market. And at this point, Meta and Facebook products can only be used in conjunction with another device.
This places Zuckerberg’s company directly under the thumb of these other tech giants. The hope is that by producing the augmented reality glasses, Meta can create a product that can function independently. It will not require connection to another device. Despite the wider implications of the Metaverse, pursuing it as a commodity largely comes down to the company’s reputation and competition.
Final Thoughts
There’s no telling what the future of the Metaverse will look like and how it will change our society. As Zuckerberg and Meta look to regain the upper hand in the tech world, there’s no doubt the landscape will change forever.
Whether you’re excited or nervous about the introduction of augmented reality glasses, chances are you’ll have to wait at least a few more years. With no current functionally wearable prototype, and more likely delays, we won’t see the glasses until at least 2024. We’re not there yet. However, we are still very excited to see these augmented reality glasses on the market.
