Mark Zuckerberg's unveiling of Orion at Meta's annual Connect conference wasn't just another product reveal—it was a declaration that the future of computing is coming, and Meta plans to lead the charge. For the first time in years, we witnessed a truly compelling demonstration of a new product category that could not only reshape our digital lives but redefine how we interact with the world around us.
Orion showcases Meta's vision for the future of computing: a device that seamlessly blends digital information with our physical world, all in a form factor resembling everyday eyewear. While not yet ready for consumer release, this prototype offers a tantalizing glimpse of how we might interact with technology in the coming years.
Since I wasn't lucky enough to try Orion, if you want to learn more about what it's like to actually wear and use the device, check out this review from The Verge.
However, I did watch the keynote, and as my eyes fixated on Zuckerberg on stage attempting live demos, I found myself rooting for him, and thinking about Paul Graham's recent essay, founder mode.
It's truly remarkable when you stop and think about Meta's journey to this point. Once just a behemoth social media platform weighed down by controversies and privacy concerns, Meta has not just undergone a successful rebranding, but a stunning transformation.
Zuckerberg's willingness to take big risks and think long-term has been crucial. His pivot to the metaverse, once mocked, now seems prescient. His continued support for open-source, especially with AI over the past year, has positioned the company as champions of innovation and collaboration.
This shift in strategy and public perception has turned Meta into an unlikely underdog—a multi-billion dollar underdog, but an underdog nonetheless. In a landscape dominated by Apple's walled gardens, Microsoft's enterprise solutions, and Google's data monopoly, Meta is emerging as a force for openness and innovation. Their commitment to building the future of computing hardware, despite the massive investments and risks involved, showcases a long-term vision that extends far beyond quarterly earnings reports. Founder mode.
One more thing. It's clear that Meta is no longer content to build software for other companies' hardware. Orion has been a decade in the making, starting with the acquisition of Oculus in 2014. They're taking control of their destiny, and in doing so, they're pushing the entire industry forward.
The implications of Orion's success could be far-reaching. If Meta can deliver on the promise of AR glasses that are both powerful and socially acceptable (and beat Apple to it), this could very well be their iPhone moment.