Meta, previously known as Facebook, will reportedly release its first commercial augmented reality (AR) glasses, codenamed Artemis, without the high-end displays originally intended for the device. Instead, sources suggest that the glasses will use older glass lenses and Liquid Crystal on Silicon (LCoS) displays.

Originally slated for release in 2027, Meta’s consumer-facing AR glasses will now feature LCoS displays instead of the more advanced MicroLED displays. LCoS is an aging display technology that was first used in movie projectors in the 1990s. This technology is not known for its brightness, which is crucial for AR products that need to project graphics onto the real world even in bright environments.

In addition to the downgrade in displays, Meta’s Artemis glasses will use a glass waveguide for light transmission, potentially limiting the field of view to 50 degrees. The company had initially planned to use silicon carbide, offering a 70-degree field of view. This change could make it challenging for Meta’s consumer-focused glasses to compete against rivals such as Microsoft’s second-gen HoloLens and the Magic Leap One, which also have a 50-degree field of view.

However, it is worth noting that the first version of Meta’s AR glasses, designed for developers and internal testing, will still include the higher-end MicroLED displays and lenses with silicon carbide, offering the larger 70-degree field of view.

Meta is not only downgrading the displays for its consumer AR glasses but also making changes to the components of the accompanying wireless puck. Some parts of the puck will be swapped out to offload computing tasks. Originally, the puck was intended to include a lidar sensor for detecting the device’s surroundings and importing 3D objects into the digital world. However, the lidar sensor will no longer be included.

As Meta faces increasing costs and focuses on expanding further into the metaverse, the company is scaling back its plans for the Quest Pro headset. Manufacturing of the headsets will cease once the available parts run out. The company is also delaying the production of a second-gen Quest Pro headset as it prioritizes the development of more affordable Quest headsets, including the upcoming Quest 3.

Overall, Meta’s first commercial AR glasses are expected to feature downgraded technology compared to the original plans. The use of older display technology and the limitations on field of view may pose challenges for the glasses’ success in the market.

 

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