The Meta Quest 3S, a more affordable version of Meta's virtual reality headset, was officially unveiled at Meta Connect 2024. Priced at $299 for the base model, with a 256GB option available for $399, the Quest 3S aims to make VR technology more accessible to a broader audience12. This new headset is positioned as a replacement for the discontinued Meta Quest 2, offering improved performance and features while maintaining a competitive price point3.

Key features of the Quest 3S include:

• Enhanced processing power with the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chip

• Improved display resolution and refresh rate

• Compatibility with existing Quest content library

• Support for mixed reality experiences through color passthrough cameras42

The launch of the Quest 3S demonstrates Meta's commitment to expanding its VR ecosystem and making immersive technologies more mainstream, while also competing effectively with other tech giants in the rapidly evolving VR market14.

Meta unveiled its most advanced augmented reality glasses prototype, codenamed "Orion," at Connect 2024. These glasses utilize holographic technology to overlay digital content directly onto the user's field of view, rather than relying on pass-through video12. Key features of the Orion prototype include:

• Full-color, wide field-of-view holographic display

• Wrist-based neural interface for intuitive control

• Voice commands, eye tracking, and hand gesture recognition

• Ability to display holograms of messages, video calls, and other information3

While still in development and not yet ready for consumer release, the Orion glasses represent Meta's vision for the future of AR, aiming to seamlessly blend digital and physical realities4. Mark Zuckerberg described them as "the most advanced glasses the world has ever seen," highlighting their potential to revolutionize how we interact with digital information in our daily lives23.

Meta introduced significant voice interaction upgrades for its AI assistant across its platforms, including Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook, and Messenger. The company believes voice is a more natural way to interact with AI than text, potentially becoming the most frequent method of AI interaction12. Meta AI now features celebrity voices, including Kristen Bell, John Cena, and Awkwafina, allowing users to have realistic, human-like conversations32.

Key features of the voice AI update include:

• Natural language processing, eliminating the need for "Hey Meta" before each prompt

• Ability to interrupt and have fluid conversations with the AI

• Integration across Meta's major apps for seamless access

• Automatic dubbing tool for Facebook and Instagram Reels, translating content while mimicking the original speaker's voice and syncing lip movements2

These advancements position Meta's AI capabilities competitively against other major tech companies, enhancing user engagement and accessibility across its platforms43.

Meta Connect 2024 showcased significant advancements in mixed reality technology, enhancing the integration of virtual and augmented reality experiences across Meta's platforms. These improvements aim to create more immersive and versatile user experiences.

Key mixed reality enhancements announced at the event include:

• Expanded content volume for Quest devices, allowing users to run 2D mobile apps, remote desktop for PC, and fully immersive experiences on a single device1

• Ability to open and position multiple virtual screens in the user's environment1

• Rebuilt social apps optimized for mixed reality, including new Instagram and Facebook experiences1

• Improved remote desktop functionality, enabling easy connection to Windows 11 PCs1

• Introduction of photorealistic spaces called "hyper scape," allowing users to scan and recreate rooms or step into shared scanned environments1

• Enhanced hand and eye tracking for more intuitive UI interactions1

• Integration of AI-powered features, such as real-time language translation and multimodal interactions, into mixed reality experiences2

These enhancements demonstrate Meta's commitment to creating a seamless blend of physical and digital worlds, positioning the company at the forefront of mixed reality innovation.