According to The Verge, an anonymous source within the company says Zuckerberg believes AR glasses will be a profound new product for Meta that will serve as “an iPhone moment” for his company. The reported plan is for a first glimpse at the product in 2024 that will be a demonstration, then a “lighter” version in 2026. Another version, presumably one closer to consumer accessibility, may be available in 2028. Facebook, Meta’s premiere product with users approaching 3 billion, has been under attack for spreading misinformation and seeming to profit without concern for harm the social media platform causes to public discourse. It has been blamed, among other accusations, for proliferation of “fake news” sponsored by Russian propaganda interests that may have helped sway the 2016 U.S. presidential election in favor of Donald Trump. Former employee and so-called “whistleblower” Frances Haugen alleged in congressional testimony in the fall of 2021 that the company pursued massive profits while undermining democracy. Zuckerberg apparently believes the move toward a transformative product such as AR glasses will advance the company beyond Facebook and toward a new world of technological innovation, including hologram communication and a way to propel growth for the company in ways that will make video calling seem pedestrian. Meta Platforms (FB) ended trading on Thursday with its NASDAQ shares trading at $210.18.
