Meta’s ‘Orion’ AR glasses & Snap’s Spectacles set for Sept. launch

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Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that Mark Zuckerberg will unveil the Orion AR glasses at the Meta Connect conference in September. This is not just another tech gimmick; it’s the result of nearly a decade of development.

Zuckerberg insists these are “unmistakably glasses, not a headset.” The Orion glasses aim to merge our digital and physical worlds.

According to Road to VR, they feature hologram displays, projectors, batteries, radios, speakers, cameras, and multiple sensors—like something out of a sci-fi movie.

However, don’t expect to walk away with a pair. The consumer version is still a few years away—expected in 2027—while a limited release of smart glasses with basic AR capabilities is set for 2025, reports XR Today.

Meta has a lot riding on this reveal. As it stands, AR doesn’t have a good track record—remember Google Glass? Zuckerberg has emphasized that nearly nine years have gone into this project, and there’s pressure to deliver something impressive.

Snap says “hold my beer”

Snap is also preparing to unveil the fifth generation of Spectacles just before Meta’s event on September 17th.

Like Meta, Snap won’t have a mass-market release; they plan to distribute limited units to select developers, writes The Verge. Both companies face the same challenge: the technology isn’t ready for widespread use.

While we might not be wearing AR glasses at our next brunch, the upcoming demos from Meta and Snap suggest the future of augmented reality is approaching.

What are your thoughts on Meta’s upcoming Orion AR glasses and Snap’s latest Spectacles? Are you excited about augmented reality’s potential, or do you have reservations based on past experiences like Google Glass?

Kevin Raposo

Kevin is KnowTechie's founder and executive editor. With over 15 years of blogging experience in the tech industry, Kevin has transformed what was once a passion project into a full-blown tech news publication. Shoot him an email at kevin@knowtechie.com or find him on Mastodon or Post.