Meta Connect 2024 Rundown: Quest 3S VR Headset, Orion AR Glasses, Ray-Ban Glasses and More 

Meta Connect 2024 kicked off as one of the most highly anticipated developer events of the year. The keynote, delivered by CEO Mark Zuckerberg, unveiled exciting new hardware and software to propel Meta’s two biggest ambitions: AI and the metaverse.

$META's iPhone moment pic.twitter.com/zC7YPU4x3F

— Rihard Jarc (@RihardJarc) September 25, 2024

Streaming live on Meta’s Connect site, Facebook, and Horizon Worlds, Mark Zuckerberg launched new hardware and software innovations, from next-gen VR and AR headsets to AI advancements.

The announcements included Meta’s new Quest 3S VR headset, Orion AR Glasses, Ray-Ban Glasses, Meta AI and Meta LLama. Here’s a roundup of the key announcements from Meta Connect 2024:

Everything Announced at Meta Connect 2024

Meta Quest 3S

After months of speculation, Meta officially revealed the Quest 3S at Meta Connect 2024, a more affordable option in its VR lineup. Priced at $299 for 128GB and $399 for 256GB, the Quest 3S targets newcomers to mixed reality, offering compatibility with Meta’s existing library of apps and games. 

In addition, the 3S maintains the Snapdragon XR Gen 2 chip and 8GB of RAM found in the Quest 3, but it makes cost-effective trade-offs like using the Quest 2’s lower-resolution 1832×1920 display and offering a narrower field of view. 

However, the Quest 3S launch also signals the end of the Quest 2 and Quest Pro, with the Quest 3 also seeing a price drop to $499 for the 512GB version. To sweeten the deal, Meta bundles the new game Batman: Arkham Shadow and a three-month Quest+ subscription with all Quest 3 or 3S purchases.

From what we can conclude, while the Quest 3S may not match the premium experience of the Quest 3, it aims to expand access to immersive experiences, continuing Meta’s aggressive market strategy to dominate the VR landscape.

Also Read: Meta Quest 4 and Quest Pro 2 Hint at 2026 and 2027 Release Window 

Orion AR Glasses

Besides Quest 3S, a massive reveal at Meta Connect 2024 was Orion, Meta’s prototype for full holographic AR glasses. While still under development, Zuckerberg touted it as the “most advanced glasses ever.” According to Zuckerberg, these glasses, a decade in the making, feature hand-tracking, eye-tracking, and a neural interface made possible through Meta’s acquisition of CTRL-labs in 2019.

Here’s a sneak peek at Meta’s new small form glasses, called Orion. They’re fully standalone and feature eye, hand, and even neural tracking. Can’t wait to try these! pic.twitter.com/gIN2NOllMW

— Nathie @ Meta Connect (@NathieVR) September 25, 2024

Moreover, the Orion glasses promise to deliver true holographic augmented reality experiences, blending digital content seamlessly with the physical world. Early testers, including high-profile figures like NVIDIA’s CEO Jensen Huang, have praised the potential of these lightweight glasses.

However, Orion remains a developer-focused project, with Meta inviting select partners to work on software and content development. The vision is clear, but a consumer-ready version of these AR glasses is still some time away.

Meta Ray-Ban Glasses

Furthermore, Meta’s partnership with Ray-Ban continues to evolve in Meta Connect 2024, with Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses receiving significant AI-driven upgrades. For instance, a key new feature is its real-time AI video processing, allowing users to ask questions about their surroundings and receive immediate answers. In addition, live language translation between English, French, Spanish, and Italian is being integrated, offering a more immersive multilingual experience.

The glasses are also getting deeper integrations with streaming platforms like Amazon Music, Audible, and iHeart Radio, and will now support reminders and QR code scanning features. A special edition of the glasses, Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarer Shiny Transparent with Sapphire Lens, is available starting September 25. These updates signal Meta’s continued push to make smart glasses an essential consumer tech item.

Meta AI Voice and Visual Enhancements

Meta just announced a ton of new AI announcements across Meta AI, Llama, Ray-Bans, and more.

Here’s everything important announced live from here @ Meta Connect:

1. Meta AI is getting its own voice mode! pic.twitter.com/AF52eif5Fr

— Rowan Cheung (@rowancheung) September 25, 2024

As usual with recent tech announcements, Meta Connect 2024 centred around AI as Zuckerberg unveiled key updates to Meta AI, including voice interactions across Messenger, Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram. For instance, users can now engage in vocal conversations with Meta AI, choosing from several celebrity voices, including John Cena, Judi Dench, and Keegan-Michael Key.

Meta also introduced AI that can “see,” enabling responses to image-based prompts and even providing editing capabilities. Moreover, Meta AI will soon power more interactive experiences across social platforms, including AI-generated content tailored to user preferences. This AI-driven content will begin appearing in Facebook and Instagram feeds, showing how deeply Meta plans to integrate AI into its ecosystem.

Meta Llama 3.2 Model

Lastly, One of Meta’s most important AI announcements is the release of Llama 3.2, the latest in its line of multilingual AI models. For context,  Llama 3.2 is a multimodal model capable of interpreting charts, analysing images, and providing detailed insights into visual data. 

However, the new version will include two smaller models optimised for mobile devices, signalling Meta’s push to bring advanced AI capabilities to smartphones. 

Llama 3.2’s arrival marks a significant step for Meta, which has been working to compete with OpenAI and Google in the multimodal AI space. While it may be playing catch-up, adding image analysis positions Meta as a serious contender in the AI race.

Parting Thoughts

Meta Connect 2024 showcased Meta’s unwavering commitment to AI, VR, and AR technology. The affordable Meta Quest 3S positions itself as an entry-level VR headset, while the Orion AR glasses prototype hints at groundbreaking augmented reality experiences in the coming years. 

Considering the dramatic upgrades in the AI space (led by OpenAI and others), Zuckerberg well anticipated potential shifts in consumer behaviour. He has already mapped out the company’s future course. Notably, Facebook and Instagram remain among the largest social networks. Recent product launches and hardware releases suggest Zuckerberg’s focus extends beyond social media and related applications. The Ray-Ban glasses, for instance, have received wide acclaim. While many of Zuckerberg’s efforts have been commercially successful, there have not been many takers of its metaverse, This may have possibly prompted the AI pivot.

The prospect of a tech-driven utopian future is all good, but ground realities can be humbling. For Meta, fancy gadgets and services aside, the company needs to prioritize addressing concerns before the US presidential elections. This includes taking on fake news, AI-driven propaganda, and bias. Although these issues weren’t in the spotlight at Meta’s developer conference, they are  going to be a top priority.

Moreover, Zuckerberg must improve Meta’s track record in tackling fake news and moderation. His recent admission that Meta censored Covid-19-related content due to White House pressure has emboldened critics, including Elon Musk. In a nutshell, Meta’s ambitious tech products and platforms are welcome, but the company must equally address deepfakes, fake news, moderation, and bias.

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