Meta Considers New Mixed Reality Glasses as Headset Replacement

Meta Platforms is planning a mixed reality device that resembles clunky glasses. The new project, internally codenamed “Puffin,” is dedicated to designing an alternative to the bulky headset offered by Facebook's parent company, which has limited consumer appeal.

Mixed reality blends augmented reality and virtual reality, allowing real-world and digital objects to interact. Augmented reality superimposes text, sound, graphics and video onto real-world images in front of the user's eyes, while virtual reality places the user in a completely artificial environment to create a computer-generated experience.The Puffin will be a much smaller device than Meta's existing Quest headset, adding that the project is still in the early stages, with a release planned for 2027.

Meta's Reality Labs division, which is responsible for developing and marketing the Quest line of VR headsets, has suffered billions of dollars in financial losses. Despite this, CEO Mark Zuckerberg remains optimistic about the future prospects of augmented and virtual reality technology. Unlike the Quest headset, the new Puffin device will not include handheld controllers, as users will be able to operate it through gestures and eye movements.

The virtual and mixed reality headset market has received renewed attention following Apple's entry last year, although its Vision Pro has faced sales challenges due to its nearly $3,500 price tag.