Meta Connect 2023 LIVE: Meta Quest 3, Ray-Ban smart glasses, and AI in the Metaverse!

Meta Connect 2023: AR is the new VR

Meta’s successes with the Quest 2 have proven there’s an audience of budding VR enthusiasts out there to market to. However, Augmented Reality (AR) is rapidly becoming equally important to users as they seek to blend reality with the virtual.

From what we know so far, the Quest 3 is pushing things to the next level in order to cater to that demand. Not only will Meta’s new headset feature full color passthrough, a large portion of the Meta Connect 2023 event’s presentations are focusing on Mixed Reality — and how developers can better leverage the headsets new passthrough cameras.

Paired with the Quest 3’s slimmer form factor, mixed reality could play a starring role in this generation of Quest headset, and for others that follow.

Meta Quest 3 leaks see Apple win on specs, Meta win on price

Apple’s plunge into the VR/AR market with the Vision Pro caused quite a stir, but that was nothing compared to the brow sweat and heart palpitations triggered by the reveal of its price.

The Apple Vision Pro will cost a staggering $3,500 at launch — but that’s ok, because Apple have made it crystal clear that it’ll be worth every penny due to its cutting edge processing and visual technology. Tim Cook assures us all that VR/AR is only made possible with the power of the R1 and M2 chipsets after all. So what other choice do we truly have?

Well. escaping the Apple reality distortion field for just a moment, a recent leak does point to an alternative indeed. According to X (neé Twitter) user @Lunayian, a source at GameStop has revealed the Meta Quest 3’s pricing starting at just $499.

If you’re not good at math, that’s one fifth of the price of Apple’s upcoming headset. Meaning you could buy a Quest 3 for yourself and four friends, and still be left with pocket change ahead of purchasing Apple’s ultra-deluxe, snorkeling mask with AR capabilities. 

Sure, Apple may have the best specs, but when it comes to headsets people can actually afford? Meta looks set to win over VR/AR enthusiasts the world over through their wallets.

Meta Connect 2023: What’s on the cards?

Meta’s multi-day event will kick off with a Zuckerberg-led keynote with “special guests” joining for the official ‘re-reveal’ of the Meta Quest 3. However, there are 20 presentations stretched out over the next two days focusing on everything from AI advancements to deep dives helping developers decipher the depths of VR/AR integration.

Obviously, the event’s opening keynote will be where the majority of eyes are focused. According to Meta’s agenda CEO Mark Zuckerberg will take to the stage bright an early on the west coast at 10 a.m. PDT, 1 p.m. EDT, and 6 p.m. BST.

However, if you want to see more of what’s on offer over the next two days of presentations, check out Meta’s full agenda for times and details of what’s to come.

Meta Connect 2023: Ray-Ban Stories 2 smart glasses

Ray-Ban Stories 2: Augmented Reality (AR) has seen a swell of interest ever since Apple announced its Vision Pro headset earlier in the year, but companies are already scrabbling to make use of this tech in smaller, more face-friendly tech like glasses.

Meta were ahead of the curve with this, having partnered with luxury sunglasses brand Ray-Ban to produce the Ray-Ban Stories smart glasses all the way back in 2021.

However, whether it be that Meta were a little too ahead of the curve at the time or if a general mistrust of the companies spotty track record on privacy were to blame, these smart glasses never quite found their feet with a wider audience.

The glasses, outfitted with a microphone, touchpad, open-ear speakers, and dual cameras, allow you to capture first-person snaps or video up to 60 seconds in length, use voice commands, take calls, and listen to music.

The smart glasses were praised for their comfort but ultimately found too limited in what they offered for most. If we’re to see a follow-up today we’d expect improved cameras, a longer battery life, and wider AR adoption.

Meta Connect 2023: Meta Quest 3

Meta Quest 3: No doubt, the big takeaway from today’s keynote will be the Meta Quest 3. The new VR headset is set to be Meta’s most powerful to date and features new LCD pancake lenses, 40% less bulk, full color passthrough cameras, and potentially a Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 processor offering up to twice the graphical performance of the Quest 2!

If you want to learn more about the Meta Quest 3 check out some of our coverage of the upcoming headset below:

Meta Connect 2023: What we expect to see!

Meta doesn’t have a huge catalog of hardware to speculate on at the moment, so it’s highly likely that we’ll be seeing the Meta Quest 3 and Ray-Ban Stories smart glasses featured front and center.

Much of the two-day event’s agenda will be split between highlighting Meta’s advancements in VR, AR, and AI as well as how developers can make the most of these innovations going forward.

While not exactly riveting for everyone, these presentations will give us a closer idea of what to expect from the Meta Quest 3 or Ray-Ban smart glasses and the direction Meta are hoping to move in going forwards

So let’s focus on hardware first as we highlight both the Meta Quest 3 and Ray-Ban Stories smart glasses next…