Meta's AR Glasses: A Look into the Future

Meta's new Orion AR glasses are giving us a sneak peek into what the future might look like. These glasses, which are still in the prototype stage, are more than just a cool gadget. They're Meta's big bet to reduce dependence on smartphones and the app stores controlled by Apple and Google. Imagine a world where you can do everything your phone does, but with just a pair of glasses. Sounds futuristic, right? The Orion glasses look more like normal frames than the oversized ones from Snap. They're still a bit chunky, but not as noticeable as you might think. They come with a wireless compute puck and an EMG wristband to control the AR interface. The interface is controlled by eye tracking and hand gestures, which feels surprisingly natural once you get the hang of it. I got to try out Orion and it was impressive. I could ask for recipes based on ingredients in front of me, and the recipe steps were projected onto the wall. I also took video calls, watched YouTube, and played games without feeling disoriented. The wide field of view and multitasking capabilities were standout features. However, the resolution could be better; text was a bit fuzzy. Meta has a lot of work ahead to make Orion more affordable and improve its features. But Orion shows that an AR future might not be as far off as we think.