Facebook Thinks That AR Glasses Will Replace Smartphones And TVs By 2022

Despite all the advancements in technology, the main way for people to interact with the digital world has been the same for decades; i.e. TV screens and computer monitors. During the F8 Developers conference, Facebook asserted that both those things, as well as smartphones, would be phased out in the near future. In fact, an executive from the company boldly claimed that augmented reality glasses will be the new norm by 2022.

Michael Abrash, the chief scientist at Oculus Research, made the claim during the conference. According to him, the world is looking at a future where there will be no need for smartphones or any physical screens. Instead, humans will be viewing the world through AR glasses that superimpose digital information and objects over real objects, Business Insider reports.

It would seem that Facebook is already working on such a technology, with the goal being the creation of eyewear that is similar to the look and weight of conventional glasses worn by millions today. If the project proves successful, the glasses won’t look out of place on anyone’s face and yet will be able to provide information on subjects within visual range such as temperature, translations, and even object identification.

Now, Abrash fully admits that it will take decades before this vision is fully realized, but he didn’t shy away from declaring that in five years, AR technology could effectively make smartphones obsolete.

"Despite all the attention focused on AR today it will be five years at best before we’re really at the start of the ramp to widespread, glasses-based augmented reality before AR has its Macintosh moment," Abrash said.

Right now, Facebook is focused on laying down the foundation of the technology so that when it finally becomes available in its true form, everything is set to take advantage of its full potential. It would need to hurry up as well since both Snapchat and Apple are working on the same thing, CNET reports.