Top 5 announcements at Meta Connect this week, featuring a prototype of AR glasses

Meta’s annual Connect conference is over, and if you’re interested in all the new hardware and software, you’re in luck. Along with a heavy investment in AI across popular Meta apps, several new pieces of hardware are on the way, including the affordable Meta Quest 3S and the company’s most advanced AR glasses to date.

Here’s a look at everything unveiled during the Wednesday keynote.

1. A more affordable Meta Quest headset

First, if you’ve been on the fence about trying out the Meta Quest 3, and the recent $25-a-month deal wasn’t enough to tempt you, good news is coming: a more affordable, slimmed-down version of the Quest 3 is on the way.

Also: Meta Quest 3S: Specs, features, and everything else we know so far

The Quest 3S, which will cost $299.99 for the base 128GB model, runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chipset, the same one that runs the Quest 3. It will have a pair of fast-switch LCD screens with 1832 x 1920 resolution (the same as the Quest 2) and a 120Hz refresh rate. The exterior is getting a slight retool, with a triangle-shaped series of “spider-eye” lenses, and it will come with Touch Plus controllers and Batman: Arkham Shadow. Preorders have opened, Meta says, with the device shipping on Oct. 15.

A 256GB model is available for $399.99. In addition, the 512GB model of the premium Quest 3 has dropped in price to $499.99 from $649.99, discontinuing the 128GB variant. Meta’s biggest advantage over Apple’s Vision Pro to date is the price difference, and this new device will only widen that gap.

It looks a little bulkier than the Quest 3, but it appears to be a solid middle ground between that and the older Quest 2 and a very enticing option if you’re looking to leap into AR/VR.

2. Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses get smarter (and a new look)

Meta’s other big hardware announcement involved its in-development augmented reality (AR) smart glasses. Glasses aren’t new territory for Meta, as it has partnered with Ray-Ban to produce smart glasses — but those devices don’t use AR.

A number of improvements for the current Ray-Ban glasses were showcased, including:

The ability to process natural language (you don’t need to say “Hey Meta” before every prompt)
The ability to remember things for you, like where you parked, multimodal interactions (ex. “Hey Meta, call this number” or “scan this QR code”)
Multimodal video AI to get real-time help as you’re doing things, such as styling your outfit as you pick out pieces of clothing
Live translations for English, Spanish, Italian, and French
And a pretty cool partnership with “Be My Eyes,” which provides volunteering services to guide blind/low-vision users by looking through their Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses.

A clear version of the glasses that shows off the circuitry was shown off, and new lenses were also announced, including EssilorLuxxotica transition glasses.

3. Orion, Meta’s AR glasses prototype

As expected, a highlight of the event was a fully functioning prototype of AR glasses with a holographic interface. Zuckerberg says they’re “the most advanced glasses the world has ever seen,” and it’s hard to argue that.

Orion applies holograms to your vision of reality instead of capturing and reimaging what’s in front of you, a process commonly known as pass-through. The big benefit of this technology is the reduced latency, if any.

Also: Orion are Meta’s ‘most advanced glasses in the world’ and run on a neural interface

The glasses rely on voice input, eye and hand tracking, and, uniquely, a wrist-based neural interface that responds to your intentions based on finger movements. The gestures then communicate with the glasses to display holograms of incoming messages, video call feeds, and other information. You can also play games, watch movies, and navigate multiple browsers. Orion is still far away from being available to the public, according to the Meta CEO, but it’s a glimpse of a very exciting wearable future.

4. Talking to celebrities with Meta AI

Meta believes voice is a much more natural way to interact with AI, so it’s bringing audio capabilities to its AI chatbot. Along with several generic options, like most AI assistants have, Meta is offering official celebrity options too, including Judi Dench, Kristen Bell, John Cena, Awkwafina, and Keegan-Michael Key.

In a live demo, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg had a voice conversation with Meta AI. The conversation was fluid, and Zuckerberg was even able to interrupt the AI as it spoke.

Also: We found a way to escape Meta AI on Facebook – but there’s a catch

The celebrity voices will launch first in the U.S and other English-speaking countries this week across all of Meta’s apps, including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.

5. AI automatic dubbing

A host of AI features took the stage at Connect, but one of the coolest was an automatic dubbing tool. Meta showed off a tool that takes Facebook and Instagram Reels recorded in another language and translates them to your preference, going so far as mimicking the original speaker’s voice and syncing lip movement to match. Meta is testing the tool on a small scale right now, and it’s not clear if this is coming to the public or just showing off the technology, but it was impressive.

Conclusion: The Meta Connect conference definitely showed a leap forward in hardware and software innovation from Meta. The introduction of the more affordable Meta Quest 3S and the advancements in the Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses showcase the company’s commitment to expanding its AR and VR offerings. The prototype Orion AR glasses offer a glimpse into a potentially exciting future of wearable technology. With features like AI chatbots with celebrity voices and automatic dubbing tools, Meta is pushing the boundaries of what is possible with AI technology. Overall, the future looks bright for Meta and its development of cutting-edge AR and VR experiences.