Factbox: Meta’s Top Five Announcements at the ‘Connect’ Event

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently introduced an affordable mixed reality headset and a prototype of the company’s first augmented reality glasses during the annual "Connect" conference.

The event highlighted several features that incorporate generative AI, which will be available on various devices and social media platforms, including Instagram.

Augmented Reality Glasses

Meta unveiled Orion, which it claims to be the most advanced AR glasses available and weighs less than 100 grams. These see-through glasses enable users to view virtual objects integrated into their surroundings. Wearers can access messaging services like WhatsApp and Messenger, make video calls, and gather information on objects within their view. Orion is driven by a custom chip, and a consumer version is currently in development.

Affordable Mixed Reality Headset

The company also launched the Quest 3S mixed reality headset, which will be available in two storage sizes: a smaller model priced at $299.99 and a larger one at $399.99. The headset is set to be released on October 15. Additionally, Meta has reduced the price of its 512GB Meta Quest 3 from $649.99 to $499.99. Older models, including Quest 2 and the high-end Quest Pro, are being discontinued.

Multimodal LLaMA 3.2

Meta introduced LLaMA 3.2, its first open-source multimodal AI model capable of generating content from both image and text prompts. Lighter versions of LLaMA 3.2 were also announced, which can operate natively on mobile devices.

New Voice Capabilities for Meta AI Chatbot

Meta AI now supports voice interactions, allowing users to choose celebrity voices like Judi Dench and John Cena. This feature will be accessible through various platforms, including Facebook, Messenger, WhatsApp, and Instagram direct messaging.

Updates to Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses

Meta is enhancing the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses with new AI features for setting reminders and scanning QR codes and phone numbers via voice commands. Further updates planned for later this year include AI video capabilities and real-time language translation.