Meta Plans Mixed Reality Glasses Codenamed “Puffin”
Date: 2024-08-29 Author: Henry Casey Categories: BUSINESS
The new glasses, dubbed “Puffin” by Meta employees, are expected to be released by 2027. The devices will be significantly smaller than Meta’s existing Quest headsets and will not require hand controllers to operate. Users will be able to control the device using gestures and eye movements.
Unlike larger headsets like the $3,500 Apple Vision Pro, the new “Puffin” glasses are expected to be more affordable and compact, which could appeal to a wider audience.
Mixed reality glasses allow users to interact with both digital and real objects, blending virtual and real realities.
The Puffin announcement comes two months after Zuckerberg said the next big thing in mixed reality would be smart glasses-like glasses with holographic displays, built-in cameras, microphones, and speakers.
Zuckerberg said Meta is aiming to create a product that will fill a gap between the existing Ray-Ban Meta (which has no display) and the bulky headsets that are more suited to VR.
Zuckerberg said the glasses, which feature a full holographic display, will provide seamless real-time communications, information overlays, and an interface similar to those found in video games or military equipment.
He also stressed that the glasses won’t be much bigger than regular glasses, and “they’ll definitely be glasses, not a headset.”
Reality Labs Continues to Spend Big
Meta's Reality Labs division has been spending heavily on research and development in recent years, spending more than $59.9 billion since its founding in 2019. However, the company reported revenue of $353 million in its second quarterly earnings report on July 31.
Despite the ongoing losses, Meta CFO Susan Lee said she expects Reality Labs' operating losses to begin to "significantly narrow" as new products are released.
