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With a billion-dollar investment, Mark Zuckerberg is developing AI-powered smart glasses that don't depend on giants like Apple and Google. See how this innovation could change the way we interact with technology!
At Meta's most recent event, focused on artificial intelligence and the metaverse, the CEO Mark Zuckerberg introduced the world to Orion, a groundbreaking prototype of smart glasses that he described as the next big revolution consultancy. One of the billionaire's goals is to drastically reduce dependence on Apple and Google.
Comparing the device to a “time Machine" Mark Zuckerberg expressed his confidence that these glasses will profoundly change the way we interact with the digital and physical world, allowing users to experience augmented reality (RA) in a way never seen before.
Since Meta, formerly known as Facebook, changed its name in 2021, Mark Zuckerberg has directed billions of dollars into investments for the development of the metaverse and virtual reality technologies (VR) and increased (RA).
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However, many investors remain skeptical about the financial return on such massive spending, especially given the significant losses the company has recorded in recent years.
Mark Zuckerberg's fight against Apple and Google
The main motivation behind Meta's huge investments in RA e RV is Zuckerberg's desire to reduce the company's dependence on tech giants Apple and Google, which currently dominate the smartphone ecosystem and aplicativos.
Apple, for example, with its control over the iOS system, implemented changes in 2021 that made it more difficult to track users through apps like Facebook and Instagram.
This measure directly affected Meta's ability to measure the effectiveness of advertising campaigns, severely impacting the company's revenue and causing an estimated loss of US$10 billion in 2022.
Given this scenario, Mark Zuckerberg decided to seek greater autonomy for Meta, investing in the development of its own hardware and software platform.
The idea is that by completely controlling the devices and operating systems on which its applications operate, Meta can maximize its profits and reduce its vulnerability to changes imposed by other companies.
The introduction of Orion is part of this strategy. According to Mark Zuckerberg, these smart glasses have the potential to transform the way we interact with the digital world, projecting virtual objects into the user's field of vision and allowing them to perform everyday tasks in a more intuitive and integrated way.
Furthermore, by having a “neural interface” bracelet, the user will be able to control the glasses through small gestures, without the need to use a smartphone.
Mark Zuckerberg's Investments in the Metaverse
Meta's Reality Labs division, responsible for developing the metaverse and AR/VR technologies, has recorded billion-dollar losses in recent years.
In the first half of 2024, the division accumulated a loss of US$8,3 billion, with sales of only US$793 million. Since 2019, losses have exceeded the US$50 billion mark, leading many analysts to question the viability of this project in the long term.
Mark Zuckerberg, however, remains optimistic. He believes that investments in Orion and the metaverse will yield big benefits in the future, especially if Meta can control the computing platforms that power its apps.
In a recent interview, he argued that if Meta owned these platforms, the company could double its profits.
Still, realizing this vision faces numerous challenges. The Orion, for example, is just a prototype and faces a significant problem: the cost of production.
Currently, each unit of the glasses costs about $10.000 to manufacture, an extremely high price that prevents large-scale commercialization. In addition, privacy and security issues remain a central concern.
Smart glasses raise ethical questions about the use of built-in cameras and real-time data transmission. Google’s experience with Google Glass, launched more than a decade ago, serves as a cautionary tale.
The project has been widely criticized, with users being nicknamed “Glassholes” due to concerns about privacy invasion. Harvard students even conducted an experiment that showed how Meta’s recently launched Ray-Ban sunglasses could be paired with facial recognition databases to identify people almost instantly.
The success of Meta's Ray-Ban glasses
Despite the difficulties faced by Orion, Meta has already reaped rewards with another product: its Ray-Ban smart glasses, which have become a surprise success.
Launched in 2021, these glasses sold around 700.000 units in the first year, with significant growth in sales throughout 2024. This initial success demonstrates that there is, in fact, a promising market for augmented reality devices.
Meta has updated Ray-Ban glasses with new features like real-time language translation powered by artificial intelligence and personalized reminders.
These innovations have made glasses more useful in everyday life, allowing users to perform simple tasks like taking photos or translating a menu without needing to pick up their phone.
This kind of practical functionality has been one of the main selling points of Ray-Ban, and experts believe Meta has been right to promote the product through platforms like Instagram, where content creators showcase its capabilities in creative ways.
By listening to user feedback and continually improving the design and functionality of the glasses, Meta has been able to build a loyal customer base.
Future of Advertising on Meta
The big challenge for Meta is how to turn its metaverse investments into a sustainable revenue stream. Currently, 98% of the company’s revenue comes from digital advertising, and many analysts believe that the development of devices like the Orion and Ray-Ban are part of a strategy to expand that market to new platforms.
"The metaverse offers Meta the opportunity to create a new computing platform where it can expand its advertising capabilities and serve ads on new devices“said Ralph Schackart, an analyst at William Blair.
By integrating the metaverse with its leading apps like Facebook and Instagram, Meta hopes to more efficiently monetize user experiences by delivering targeted ads in an even more personalized and immersive way.
However, Reality Labs remains a point of contention among investors, who are concerned about mounting losses and a lack of immediate returns.
Analysts expect losses to continue to mount over the next three years before Meta is able to show a real return on the investments made so far.
Competition in the Smart Glasses Market: Meta vs Apple and Google
Meta isn’t alone in the smart glasses race. Apple, one of the company’s main rivals, launched its own virtual reality headset, the Vision Pro, in 2024, with a starting price of $3.500. While it’s aimed at a specific niche of consumers, the Vision Pro signals that the company’s
Apple is also interested in exploring the potential of so-called “spatial computing,” a term used by CEO Tim Cook to describe the future of interaction between the digital and the physical.
In addition to Apple, Google is also revisiting the concept of smart glasses, following the failure of Google Glass. The company has been exploring new versions of the technology, and rumors indicate that it is developing a new AR product that could directly compete with Meta's devices.
The competition is fierce, but Meta appears to be ahead in developing smart glasses aimed at the everyday consumer.
By taking a more accessible and functional approach to Ray-Bans, the company has managed to build a significant user base, especially among digital influencers who promote the product on social media.
The future of Meta
While Meta still has a long way to go to turn Orion into a viable mass-market product, smart glasses represent a crucial part of Meta’s vision. Mark Zuckerberg for the future of the company.
By controlling its own hardware and software platforms, Meta hopes to reduce its dependence on companies like Apple and Google, ensuring greater autonomy and profitability in the long term.
However, the company will face significant challenges in the coming years, including reducing production costs, addressing privacy concerns, and creating an app ecosystem that takes full advantage of the capabilities of AR and VR devices.
Whether Meta can achieve this ambitious vision, only time will tell. What is clear is that, for Mark Zuckerberg, control over the future of computing platforms is more than just a technology issue – it’s a strategy
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Yet another powerful tool within a powerful project for the complete domination of humanity. On one side the weapons and on the other the means of control.