Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg didn't waste much time at annual Meta Connect conference, rattling off a series of product announcements during a Meta Connect keynote that lasted just under an hour.
You can get the full blow-by-blow account of the keynote from our Meta Connect live blog, but what follows is a summary of the various Zuckerberg announcements from today (September 25) as well as what else to expect from the two-day Meta Connect event.
Meta Connect 2024 announcements
Meta Quest 3s
Meta has expanded its line of virtual reality headsets with the lower-cost Meta Quest 3s. Starting at $299, the headsets are Meta's attempt to bring VR to a wider audience.
To get the lower price, Meta made some trade-offs from the $499 Meta Quest 3. Specifically, the Quest 3s offers lower resolution and trades the pancake lenses of the more expensive Quest 3 for fresnel lenses. Still, the cheaper headset runs on the same processor as the Quest 3 and promises much the same VR experience. You'll primarily use the Quest 3s to play games, though Zuckerberg stressed that the headset also supports productivity apps and video.
On the gaming front, the Meta Quest 3s will ship with Batman: Arkham Shadows.
Preorders have already begun, with the Quest 3s available for $299 in a 128GB version and $399 for a 256GB version. Sales begin officially on October 15.
Orion Holographic AR glasses
Perhaps the biggest announcement at Meta Connect 2024 wasn't a product but a prototype. The Orion Holographic AR glasses are billed as the most advanced pair of augmented reality glasses ever built, with Meta planning to use them to develop the first commercially available pair of glasses. It's using Orion internally to work on the software and perfect the design of the glasses, but Zuckerberg said some external partners will be involved to develop software and content for Orion.
The prototypes feature some pretty thick frames — expect those to get slimmed down by the time Meta releases a shipping product. The lenses of Orion use silicon carbide and there are tiny projections beaming images onto those lenses. You'll be able to have conversations with holographic images of people who will seem like they're in the room or play virtual games on a surface that unfolds in front of you — or at least, that's what the keynote demo illustrated.
You'll control the Orion glasses with your voice as well as eye and hand tracking. Zuckerberg also talked about a neural link, which is actually an EMG wristband for swiping, clicking, and scrolling.
There's no timetable on when a shipping product based on Orion will be ready.
Ray-Ban Meta glasses
Meta didn't really announce a new version of its Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, save for a special edition that will be available starting tomorrow (September 25). The Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarer Shiny Transparent with Sapphire Lens features clear frames that show off the technology that goes into Meta's smart glass offering.
The more significant news involves new software features coming to the glasses. Zuckerberg demonstrated a live translation feature in which you can get a real-time translation in your ear as somebody speaks to you in a different language. A mobile companion app will also translate what you're saying into the other speaker's language.
The AI onboard the Ray-Ban Meta glasses will be able to understand natural language, as Zuckerberg demonstrated by interrupting the virtual assistant during a demo. You also don't have to keep saying "OK Meta" during a conversation.
Other features shown off by Meta include the ability to control Spotify and Amazon Music on the glasses with just your voice, a reminders feature and the ability to scan QR codes or phone numbers using the glasses.
Meta AI
The most high-profile news around Meta AI involves the addition of celebrity voices like Dame Judi Dench, John Cena, Awkwafina and Keegan-Michael Key to Meta AI Voice. (Meta does love its celebrity AI features.) Meta AI Voice is rolling out this week to the U.S. across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
In addition, Meta AI is gaining the ability to see, which will allow it to reply to photos you share in chat. The AI will be able to describe what's in those images and even edit them.
One other big AI announcement from Meta: the multimodal Llama 3.2 is rolling out as well.
Attending Meta Connect 2024
Even with the keynote in the rear-view mirror, Meta Connect continues as it's Meta's flagship technology conference for bringing together developers, creators, and tech enthusiasts. Meta uses the two-day event to spell out its vision for the future, and this year's edition is a hybrid event, with an in-person component at Meta's headquarters in Menlo Park and a virtual livestream accessible worldwide through Facebook and Horizon Worlds.
If you're registered for Connect 2024, you can follow along with the rest of the conference using the below options.
- Follow along virtually, in real-time or on-demand, using the @MetaforDevelopers Facebook Page.
- View the entire live keynote in VR using the Horizon Worlds app on your Meta Quest headset. (First, ensure you’re on the list of 13 supported countries where Horizon Worlds is available.)
