Two major US tech companies will engage in a showdown in the field of smart glasses

Recently, two giants in the US technology industry, Snap and Meta, are about to start a fierce competition in the field of smart glasses.

According to technology media The Verge, Snap will hold its annual enterprise partner summit in Los Angeles on September 17, when it will launch its fifth-generation Spectacles AR glasses. Meta is also highly likely to showcase its first AR glasses (rumored to have the code name Orion) at the Connect conference on September 25. The releases of the two new products are only a week apart.

Snap has been committed to the research and development of smart glasses for many years, and its Spectacles smart glasses series has been iterated through multiple generations. Although the market response to previous versions has been relatively mediocre, this new product is expected to bring improvements in appearance or technical features, such as possible enhancements in field of view (FOV) and battery life.

Meta has been deeply involved in the field of smart glasses for many years and has successfully achieved commercialization with ToC products. Its smart glasses in collaboration with the famous eyewear brand Ray-Ban have achieved good results. In just the fourth quarter of 2023, the shipments of Ray-Ban Meta exceeded the shipments of the first-generation product Ray-Ban Stories throughout its entire life cycle, reaching one million pairs, and shipments in 2024 are expected to continue to grow. The upcoming Orion, as Meta's first true AR glasses, is highly anticipated. According to previous information, this product has been in development for about nine years and can project vivid holograms rich in color into the user's view, achieving an experience where digital and reality are indistinguishable (holographic interaction). However, the original planned production volume has been reduced due to cost and technical reasons.

The confrontation between these two tech companies is not only a competition of products but also a battle for dominance in the future smart glasses market. As a burgeoning field with huge potential, smart glasses are expected to become the next-generation computer platform. Both sides are working hard to explore how to provide users with a better experience to gain an advantage in the market. The outcome of this confrontation will have a profound impact on the development of the smart glasses industry and is also highly anticipated by the industry and consumers. Let's wait and see who can emerge victorious in this competition.