The Orion project gave Meta ideas. Presented last September, this (large) pair of glasses integrates transparent screens displaying applications. The demonstration of this $10,000 prototype was convincing enough to push the company to quickly consider a more affordable version for the general public.
Glasses to forget about physical screens
Meta has reportedly stepped on the gas for the development of the "Puffin project," with the hope of a launch by the end of 2026, according to the specialist site UploadVR. The group is reportedly testing several types of screens to find the best quality/price ratio, without having decided yet. The device would therefore look like rather bulky-looking glasses, but would weigh only 110 grams.
Puffin would not have touch controls on the arms, but a gaze detection system like the Vision Pro. It would logically work with Horizon OS, the dedicated operating system that Meta also offers to partners. The battery and computing power essential to the glasses' proper functioning would be located in an external case; Meta hopes to minimize it enough to fit in a pocket.
Meta would be tempted to sell such a device as a portable virtual screen, with the ability to display as many virtual monitors as needed for all uses: productivity, of course, but also entertainment. This is also a "traditional" function of Quest headsets, but lightweight glasses will be easier to wear (and to be accepted in the office) despite a dangling cable.
This device, unlike the future connected Ray-Bans integrating a small screen, would have forced Meta to take a step back from the development of the future Quest. The Quest 3S launched last fall had a nice launch and ended up under many Christmas trees, but the craze would have died down.
This does not mean that we will be deprived of Horizon OS headsets in the future. Asus is reportedly preparing a model under its ROG gaming brand, and Lenovo is also in the running.
Source: UploadVR
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