Meta Connect 2024 Recap: Quest 3S Headset, AI Upgrades, Ray-Ban Meta Glasses, and More
Meta Connect 2024 kicked off with major reveals and updates centered around Meta’s ambitions in AI, the metaverse, and consumer hardware. CEO Mark Zuckerberg led the event, unveiling exciting new products like the Quest 3S headset, enhanced AI capabilities, and advanced augmented reality (AR) glasses. Here’s a breakdown of the biggest announcements from the event:
Orion: The Most Advanced AR Glasses Revealed
In a surprise reveal, Zuckerberg introduced Orion, a groundbreaking pair of AR glasses. Although still in development, Meta is positioning Orion as the future of augmented reality. These glasses are lightweight and capable of projecting holograms. Zuckerberg even claimed they would be the “first consumer full holographic AR glasses.” Nvidia’s CEO, Jensen Huang, was one of the early testers and expressed his admiration for the glasses.
Meta plans to continue developing Orion before making it available to the public, but it signals a major leap in AR technology and the company’s push toward an augmented metaverse.
Meta Quest 3S Headset Launches at $299
Meta confirmed the launch of the Quest 3S headset, following several pre-event leaks. This new headset will retail for $299 for the 128GB version and $399 for the 256GB model. Unlike its predecessor, the Quest 3, the Quest 3S is a more affordable option while retaining compatibility with Meta’s extensive library of apps and games. Notably, it supports mixed reality, enhancing its appeal in the gaming and VR markets.
The Quest 3S will ship on October 15, and the price reduction of the Quest 3 from $649 to $499 coincides with this release. Meta also announced it will discontinue the Quest 2 and Quest Pro headsets by the end of 2024.
Meta AI Upgrades: Now With Voice Integration
Meta AI is expanding its capabilities, and one of the standout features is vocal interaction. Users can now ask questions or chat with Meta AI across Messenger, Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram, and receive vocal responses. Multiple voice options are available, including celebrity voices from John Cena, Awkwafina, Kristen Bell, Keegan-Michael Key, and Dame Judi Dench.
This feature puts Meta in competition with other AI platforms like OpenAI’s voice mode, which was recently rolled out. With over 500 million users, Meta AI is solidifying itself as a major player in AI-powered digital assistance.
Llama 3.2 AI Model Released
Meta unveiled the latest version of its Llama AI family—Llama 3.2. This model, which includes Llama 3.2 11B and 90B, offers multimodal capabilities, enabling it to interpret charts, graphs, and images. For instance, Llama 3.2 can analyze a park map and calculate the length of a hiking trail or identify key revenue trends from a business graph.
However, due to regulatory restrictions, European users cannot access the Llama 3.2 model, including its image analysis features, as a result of the EU’s AI Act.
Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses: Real-Time AI Video and More
Meta’s collaboration with Ray-Ban is evolving, with new updates to their smart glasses. The glasses can now perform real-time AI video processing, allowing users to ask the glasses questions about their surroundings. Additionally, the glasses can provide smartphone-like reminders, translate between languages in real time (including French, Italian, and Spanish), and integrate with popular music streaming services like Amazon Music and Audible.
These updates reflect Meta’s ongoing attempt to make AR glasses a mainstream consumer device, bridging the gap between everyday wearables and advanced AI functionality.
Meta AI Explores Visual Search and Image Editing
Meta is incorporating visual search capabilities into its AI platform, similar to those seen in Google, OpenAI, and Apple’s offerings. Users can now prompt Meta AI with images, edit them, and share them directly to platforms like Instagram Stories. This feature enhances Meta AI’s practical applications, allowing users to interact with digital content in a more intuitive and visual way.
Reactions From Social Media
As expected, the announcements from Meta Connect 2024 sparked a wave of reactions across social media:
- @TechieGuru (USA): “Meta Quest 3S looks like a game-changer for VR at that price! Will be hard to resist.”
- @MetaFanatic (UK): “Orion AR glasses look amazing, but when will we actually be able to use them?!”
- @CodingIn2024 (Canada): “Meta AI going vocal with celebrity voices is cool, but how useful will it be in real life?”
- @DigitalNomad (Australia): “Llama 3.2 can analyze charts and graphs—imagine how helpful that’ll be for businesses.”
- @GadgetReview (Germany): “Still no Llama 3.2 for Europe? The EU needs to rethink some of these restrictions.”
- @TechTrendAfrica (Nigeria): “Ray-Ban Meta glasses look slick with that AI video processing. But will it work in African markets?”
- @VR_Pioneer (USA): “The Quest 3S at $299 is exactly what the VR market needed. I’m all in!”
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