At Meta Connect, it's Zuck or nothing
The company has an expansive vision for the future — and until then, some incremental updates. The last time I saw Mark Zuckerberg take the stage, just a few weeks ago, the slogan on his chest struck a note of humility. "Learning through suffering," it read in Greek — a nod to the years Meta's CEO spent as a punching bag after building the company into one of the world's most successful. On Wednesday, though, Zuckerberg was back on the offensive. "Aut Zuck aut nihil," his shirt read. The Latin phrase, which originated as "aut Caeasar aut nihil," can be read as either "either a Caesar or nothing" or "all or nothing." But at Meta Connect, the company's annual developer conference," it came across as "Zuck or nothing" — and over the course of the keynote, that's just what we got.
Zuck Takes Center Stage
Other tech CEOs typically take one or two big announcements for themselves and leave the rest to their lieutenants. Not Zuckerberg: aside from a creator and a prizefighter who he brought on stage for demos, and an employee who delivered him the company's latest augmented reality glasses prototype in a locked suitcase, on Wednesday Zuckerberg was the whole show. "We can start to see how the future of computing and the future of human connection are going to look," he said as he kicked off his announcements. "And it’s pretty awesome." Those announcements included a host of new products and features, including cutting-edge augmented reality glasses, enhancements for the company’s existing Meta Ray-Bans, a new entry-level Quest virtual reality headset, and artificial intelligence features across the company’s product lineup.
Focus on Innovation and Competition
"In every generation of technology, there is a competition of ideas for what the future should look like," Zuckerberg said as his keynote wrapped up. "And at Meta we are trying to build a future that is more open, more accessible, more natural, and more about human connection. This is the continuation of the values and ideas that we have brought to the apps and technology that we have built over Meta's first 20 years." This was a fine effort to make coherent a disparate series of product announcements, and to attempt to find some continuity from the company's earliest days to a world in which the friends and family in their feeds have been replaced by AI images. But it left unsaid what seemed to be the larger point, which is that Zuckerberg intends to crush his rivals — particularly — into a fine pulp. His swagger on stage was most evident when discussed the company's next-generation glasses as the likeliest next-generation computing platform, and highlighted the progress that Meta had made so far in overcoming the crushing technological burdens necessary for that to happen. And it also failed to capture just how personal all this seems to him. Burned by what he has called the 20-year mistake of the company's reaction to the post-2016 tech backlash, and long haunted by criticisms that Meta has been nothing more than a competition-crushing copycat since it released the News Feed, Zuckerberg has never seemed more intent on claiming for himself the mantle of innovator. His glasses, his virtual reality headset, his AI, his company. He will be a Caesar or nothing. And woe to anyone who stands in his way.
Orion AR Glasses: The Star of the Show
The star of Zuckerberg's presentation was Orion, the company’s prototype AR glasses. Last week, after trying on Snap’s latest version of Spectacles, I lamented their slim 46-degree field of view, which create an experience where the operating system disappears every time you move your head. Orion’s field of view is 70 degrees, and those who have tried it said it creates a more immersive experience than other AR glasses. Orion represents an effort to build what Meta believes will be the end state of glasses-based computing: a device that goes beyond the basic voice-based interactions that are now possible on the company’s Meta Ray Ban sunglasses to create a full-fledged computing platform: one where you can do work, watch movies, and make holographic phone calls.
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As Heath reports, Orion was initially planned to be a device for consumers. But it’s not ready — each unit reportedly costs $10,000, and the user experience requires a number of painful compromises. Among other things, users have to wear a “neural wristband” to help control the device, and carry a wireless puck that handles the processing.
“The technical challenges to make them are insane,” Zuckerberg said on stage Wednesday. The demos all look fun, but the full experience won’t be available in a consumer product for years. A more limited set of AR glasses codenamed Hypernova may ship next year, Heath reports.
AI-Generated Content and Meta AI Features
Meta says it is beginning to test content “imagined for you” by Meta AI on Facebook and Instagram. Meta will use your likeness and interests to generate photos and videos with AI, and you’ll be able to swipe to generate additional related posts. Meta AI now has a voice mode, and you can chat with the company’s Llama-powered bot on WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook and Messenger. Celebrities, including Dame Judy Dench, John Cena, and Awkwafina, are part of the voice mode feature.
The Future of Meta Products
Meta’s second-generation smart Ray-Bans have proven surprisingly successful, selling an estimated 700,000 units and doubling shipments over the last quarter. The company announced the Meta Quest 3S, an entry-level headset that starts at $299.99. Batman: Arkham Shadow, a new entry in a beloved series of action games, will be bundled with the new devices.
Meta is pushing the boundaries of technology with its AR glasses, AI-generated content, and innovative products. At Meta Connect, it's clear that the vision for the future is driven by Zuckerberg's determination to lead Meta to new heights, leaving no room for competitors. It's Zuck or nothing.
