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What To Know: The Meta Connect 2024 event got started with a keynote address from CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who suggested the future has arrived.
"A lot of the stuff we've been talking about for a long time, glasses, mixed reality, AI, it's happening. And we can start to see how the future of computing and the future of human connection are going to look, and it's pretty awesome," Zuckerberg said on stage at Menlo Park.
Zuckerberg went on to introduce new products and features focused on Meta's AR/VR platforms, the metaverse and its open source generative AI platform Llama. Here's a look at some of the biggest announcements coming out of the event Wednesday afternoon.
Meta Quest 3S: The newest version of Meta's Quest VR headset will come packed with features for $299.99. Several leaks had come out about the headset before the event and they appear to be accurate.
The Quest 3S will offer the same mixed reality features and performance as the Quest 3. According to The Verge, it comes packed with the same Qualcomm Inc QCOM Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chip and the same Touch Plus controllers. The new headset will offer longer battery life than its predecessor.
"Quest is going to be able to be a natural extension of your PC," Zuckerberg said, adding that Quest is the "best mixed reality device that you can buy today."
Preorders for the new device open on Wednesday. The Quest 3S will begin shipping on Oct. 15.
Meta AI: Zuckerberg announced several new updates for Meta AI and unveiled its first open-source model capable of processing both images and text.
Meta's new Llama 3.2 is expected to allow developers to create more advanced AI applications. It includes two vision models and two lightweight text-only models.
Meta also announced that it's adding conversational voice options from celebrities to its AI chatbots across its social media platforms, allowing users to talk to Meta AI and hear responses in celebrity voices such as John Cena or Kristen Bell.
Users can also submit photos to Meta's chatbot and get answers to questions about the images.
Meta's Ray-Ban Smart Glasses: Meta unveiled a series of new updates for its Ray-Ban smart glasses at the event. Zuckerberg also noted that the company plans to release more features in the coming months that he's "really excited about."
On Wednesday, Meta focused on software for the glasses that help create more real-world use cases including scanning QR codes you are looking at or calling phone numbers you see. The company also introduced a "Reminders" feature that prompts the glasses to take a photo of something and reminds you about it later on via notification.
Meta also unveiled a new limited edition transparent edition of the Ray-Ban frames and announced that it will be releasing a new range of transition lenses.
"As they get more and more useful I think a lot more people are going to want glasses that they can take indoors, outdoors, everywhere that they go. I think this is going to be a big deal," Zuckerberg said.
Meta Orion: Meta also announced its new prototype holographic AR glasses called "Orion," which Zuckerberg called "the most advanced glasses the world has ever seen."
"This isn't passthrough. This is the physical world with holograms laid on it," the Meta CEO said.
Meta's new Orion glasses feature a completely new type of display architecture. It's not actually a screen that you are looking at, Zuckerberg said.
Users will be able to interact with the AR glasses using their voice through AI and eyes and hands, but also through a neural interface that connects with a wristband.
"With Orion we are getting closer to achieving the dream of Reality Labs, to create the next great computing platform that delivers a deep sense of presence like you are right there with another person. This is where we are going," Zuckerberg said.
META Price Action: Meta shares were up 2.11% at $575.37 at the time of publication, according to Benzinga Pro.
