When Meta revealed the Project Orion AR glasses during Meta Connect in September, it hinted at an impressive future for smart glasses, even if Orion is still a prototype.
We may get a teaser of what the future looks like next year as a report from The Wall Street Journal suggests that a new set of Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses will feature a "single small in-lens screen." Additionally, it could launch with a sensor wristband controller similar to the one being tested with the Orion glasses.
That information comes from a "person familiar with the project," though the report noted that Meta would not confirm heads-up displays glasses. Meta's vice president of wearables did tell the Journal that one of the most requested features is a viewfinder that would show basic information like notifications. He noted that Meta is working on multiple "sizes and form factors."
It seems to fit with a leaked Meta roadmap from 2023 that revealed Meta planned to launch a viewfinder pair of co-branded Ray-Ban glasses in 2025. That report also indicated that a "neural interface band" that allows for hand movement controls would debut alongside the third-generation of Ray-Ban smart glasses. A strong indicator of the sensor strap's existence was revealed with Project Orion. The strap could turn into a smart watch as suggested by the road map, though it's unclear when or if Meta is actually working on a "Meta Watch."
The road map specifically mentions "Orion" and reportedly set a launch window of 2027 as part of a new line of AR glasses dubbed "Innovation."
Assuming the road map and the Journal reports are accurate, as they appear to be, we will probably expect to see Meta release the viewfinder version in September or October around the annual Meta Connect event. Of course, Meta could shake things up, but its launch history suggests a fall window is most likely.
A viewfinder sounds interesting, but we do wonder if Meta will make other upgrades to make the display an effective tool. Currently, the Ray-Bans have an effective 6 hours of active use. We found in our review that livestreaming absolutely drained the battery and a tiny display with AR capabilities could easily eat away at it.
I also am curious if they can retain their stylish look or become a bit blockier the way the Orions are or more like the Xreal One AR glasses, which are nice but not a fashion statement.
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