Meta Connect 2024 just gave us a glimpse into the future, and it’s hard not to see the parallels between Meta’s announcements today and Apple’s iconic moments in tech history. With Mark Zuckerberg revealing cutting-edge hardware and AI-driven innovations, it feels like Meta is stepping up as the new leader in tech innovation, possibly even stealing the innovation crown from Apple.
We’ve long associated Apple with game-changing product reveals—the iPod, iPhone, iPad, the Apple Watch—but today, Meta showcased wearables that have the potential to challenge Apple’s dominance. This wasn’t just another product launch; it had the feel of an “Apple moment,” the kind that reshapes the future of tech.
Orion Holographic Glasses: The iPhone Killer?
Take Meta’s Orion Holographic Glasses, for example. These aren’t just fancy AR specs—they have the potential to be a revolutionary leap in how we interact with technology. Lightweight, packed with hand-tracking, eye-tracking, and even neural interfaces, they hint at a future where we won’t need a smartphone to engage with the digital world. Just like how the iPhone replaced the flip phone, these wearables could eventually make us question whether we even need an iPhone in our pockets.
Zuckerberg’s dramatic reveal of the Orion glasses made it clear Meta isn’t just tinkering with AR—it’s positioning itself as the company that could lead the next tech revolution. The vision Meta laid out feels bigger than the smartphone era. It’s not hard to imagine a day when these AR glasses make us question why we ever relied on screens we had to carry and touch.
The Quest 3S: Meta Brings Premium VR to the Masses
Then there’s the more immediate offering, the Quest 3S headset. While it may not be as revolutionary as the Orion glasses, it shows Meta’s commitment to wearable tech and mixed-reality experiences. At $299, the Quest 3S is affordable and packed with features that allow us to blend the virtual and physical worlds more seamlessly than ever. It’s clear Meta wants to get wearables into as many hands (or rather, onto as many heads) as possible—and they’re betting big that the future of computing is on your face, not in your hand.
AI Meets Wearables: Meta’s New Ecosystem
Meta’s push into wearables isn’t just about hardware; it’s also building out an ecosystem powered by AI. The integration of Meta’s Llama 3.2 AI model and voice assistants into everything from AR glasses to Ray-Ban’s Meta smart glasses suggests a future where we don’t just use our devices, we talk to them. With AI becoming more intuitive and interactive, wearables may no longer need to rely on touchscreens or apps like smartphones do.
Meta’s integration of AI into wearables also signals a significant shift. While Apple’s Siri has had some success, Meta is taking a more aggressive leap forward by giving its AI multiple personalities—literally—via celebrity voices like John Cena and Kristen Bell. The goal is clear: Meta’s AI isn’t just there to help; it’s there to be a central part of your daily life.
The Tipping Point for Innovation?
For years, Apple has been the company that set the tone for tech innovation. But after today, it feels like the tides are turning. Meta is boldly moving into spaces that Apple has yet to dominate—AR, AI, and the merging of physical and digital worlds. Where Apple made wearable tech more mainstream with the Apple Watch, Meta is laying the groundwork for something much bigger, and much more integrated into how we live and work.
Meta Connect 2024 felt like a clear signal that Zuckerberg and his team want to lead the next great wave of tech innovation. Could wearables like the Orion glasses eventually replace the iPhone as our go-to tech? It’s early, but today, Meta certainly made its case for why it could be the one to push us toward that future.
For now, the big question is no longer just what Apple will do next—but how quickly Meta’s wearables and AI will change the way we interact with the world around us. Today felt like the start of Meta’s “Apple moment,” and if these innovations take off, the iPhone could soon have a serious rival in the tech hall of fame.
About The Author:
Harrison Painter
