What Display Daily thinks: In a hot market, or one that is at least showing some signs of growth, companies like Meta could afford to make grand gestures, overspend, and underdeliver. That’s not the world we live in right now
The limitations of MicroLED manufacturing are pretty clear, but even under the best circumstances, the cost of the displays remains a challenge. Even a company with Meta’s size can’t afford to speculate on these display. We know Apple is sending mixed signals about its commitment. That should be enough to make even the most die-hard evangelists for the AR/VR market feel deflated.
Meta Confronts Challenges of MicroLED for AR/VR Products
Meta, formerly known as Facebook, has actively pursued the creation of an everyday AR headset to meet the increasing demand for augmented reality technology. The project, codenamed Orion, is scheduled for release in 2025 for developers and demo purposes, with a consumer version named “Artemis” expected to debut in 2027.
Meta acquired MicroLED displays from British manufacturer Plessey for use in the Orion demo units. However, the company has encountered challenges in terms of display brightness in normal lighting conditions. Additionally, they have faced difficulties in reducing defects that occurred during the development process.
The MicroLED displays offer a field of view of approximately 70 degrees, surpassing some competing AR headsets like the Hololens, which provides around 50 degrees. However, cost considerations have led Meta to opt for glass-based waveguides, employing older, more affordable Liquid Crystal on Silicon (LCoS) technology for the consumer version, Artemis. This decision results in a slightly reduced field of view of approximately 50 degrees.
To manage costs, Meta has significantly reduced the features of the input and computing device, “The Stage.” The oval-shaped device is intended to provide computing power and connect to the AR headset via 5G. Initially, prototypes included a LIDAR sensor for environment detection and a projector to showcase users’ perspectives without requiring a headset. However, due to high costs, these features have been canceled, leaving only a color camera in the final design.
Despite the challenges and cutbacks, Meta remains committed to the development of MicroLED technology. The company continues to collaborate with Plessey to improve the displays for potential future use. However, the timeline for widespread implementation of this technology remains uncertain.
However, according to DigiTimes, despite significant progress, display technologies for AR headsets are still in a developmental stage. The advancements in panel technologies won’t be there until 2030.
