Meta CTO Explains Smart Glasses Demo Failures at Meta Connect
Meta's chief technology officer, Andrew Bosworth, took to Instagram on Wednesday to explain the technical issues that plagued multiple demos of the company's new smart glasses technology during its developer conference, Meta Connect. The demos, which showcased three new pairs of smart glasses, including an upgraded version of the Ray-Ban Meta and a sports-focused Oakley Meta Vanguard, failed to work as intended at different points during the event.
According to Bosworth, the issues were not due to Wi-Fi connectivity problems, as initially suspected by some attendees. Instead, he attributed the failures to technical difficulties related to the glasses' artificial intelligence (AI) and computer vision capabilities.
In one demo, cooking content creator Jack Mancuso struggled to get a response from his Ray-Ban Meta glasses when asking for instructions on how to prepare a sauce recipe. After repeating the question several times with no response, the AI unexpectedly skipped ahead in the recipe, forcing Mancuso to stop the demo and hand it back over to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
"I think the Wi-Fi may be messed up," Mancuso joked before passing the demo back to Zuckerberg.
In another demo, the glasses failed to pick up a live WhatsApp video call between Bosworth and Zuckerberg. The call was eventually abandoned due to technical difficulties.
Bosworth took the stage during the event, joking about the "brutal" Wi-Fi, but later clarified on Instagram that the issues were not related to connectivity problems.
"The demos we showed today are still in development, and we're working hard to get them right," Bosworth wrote. "The tech is complex, and sometimes it doesn't work as planned."
Meta Connect marked a significant milestone for Meta's smart glasses technology, which has been in development for several years. The company has high hopes for the devices, which are designed to integrate seamlessly with other Meta products and services.
Industry experts say that the technical issues at Meta Connect may be a setback for the company's ambitions in the smart glasses market, but they also acknowledge the complexity of the technology involved.
"The tech is still in its early stages, and it's not surprising that there were some bumps along the way," said Dan Ives, an analyst with Wedbush Securities. "However, Meta has a strong track record of innovation, and I'm confident that they'll get this right."
Meta has not yet announced a release date for its smart glasses technology, but the company is expected to provide further updates on its progress in the coming months.
As the tech industry continues to evolve at breakneck speed, companies like Meta are pushing the boundaries of what's possible with wearable devices. While the technical issues at Meta Connect may have been frustrating for attendees, they also highlight the challenges and opportunities that come with developing cutting-edge technology.
In a statement, Meta spokesperson said: "We're committed to delivering high-quality products and experiences to our users, and we're working hard to address the technical issues that arose during the demos."
Meta's smart glasses technology has the potential to revolutionize the way people interact with information and each other. With its advanced AI capabilities and computer vision features, the devices are designed to provide a seamless and intuitive experience.
As Bosworth noted on Instagram, "The tech is complex, but we're making progress."
*Reporting by Techcrunch.*
