AI and mixed reality are likely to be the focus of Meta Platforms Inc.’s annual developers conference Wednesday. But the lingering question is whether Meta will address a certain nemesis down the road.
The Meta Quest 3 VR headset is expected to highlight the two-day event, which kicks off with a keynote speech by Meta Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg at the company’s Silicon Valley headquarters.
“I would expect AI to play a big role, but unclear what their angle will be as far as how they will provide a hook for consumers,” Carolina Milanesi, president of Creative Strategies, said in an email. “For businesses I am sure it will all be about targeted ads and data.”
Last year, Facebook’s parent company
META,
made a hard pivot from the metaverse to more of a hybrid strategy incorporating artificial intelligence.
This year, Meta faces a raft of questions around its implementation of AI — as do so many of its peers. First and foremost, how does Meta’s self-imposed “year of efficiency” impact long-term plans? Will new gaming titles and partners spur Quest sales? And how much will a reportedly slimmer Quest 3 weigh?
Perhaps the biggest question, analysts contend, is if Meta acknowledges Apple Inc.’s
AAPL,
Vision Pro goggles, announced to mixed reviews in June and due in 2024, and outlines a plan to compete with its longtime nemesis.
“How does Meta compete with Apple’s Vision Pro?” Mark Vena, CEO and principal analyst at SmartTech Research, said in an interview. “I want to know how Meta is prioritizing innovation, investing heavily in hardware and software development for its augmented and virtual reality solutions, Oculus and Quest.”
Will Meta formerly embrace “spatial computing” in its AR/VR strategy, as Apple has, Vena asked.
Meta is tasked with building a “robust ecosystem” of AR/VR content, emphasizing user-friendly experiences, that lures developers in the long term — a strength of Apple, according to Vena.
Equally important, given Meta’s checkered reputation, will be its handling of privacy and data security for responsible AI and mixed-reality partnerships in the healthcare and education fields, Vena said. Like others, he wonders how Meta intends to create a safe and inclusive online environment for users of all ages.
Ironically, Apple’s entry into mixed reality is more likely to help than hurt Meta. Apple legitimized and popularized the smartphone and tablet markets with its wildly popular products, and analysts expect the same again for AR and VR.
“I consider the space quiet but likely to see another wave of innovation and growth that will benefit Meta” because of Apple, Daniel Newman, CEO of The Futurum Group, said in an interview.
“This year’s Connect is a moment to show a clear path to grow adoption through innovation in software, hardware, and silicon that will drive the next wave of lighter, more powerful XR [extended reality] experiences,” Newman said.
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