Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said Monday that by 2030 people could use advanced smart glasses to “teleport” to locations like other people’s homes and talk to them as if they were physically present, which which will allow you to replace face-to-face meetings with a digital experience based on headphones.
One result of this vision of the future could be the reduction of business or leisure travel, which could help mitigate the effects of climate change, Zuckerberg said in an interview with The Information.
“Obviously, they will continue to be cars and planes and all that. But as much as we can teleport, not only do we personally eliminate daily commutes and everything that catches us individually, but I think it’s also better for society and for the planet at large, ”Zuckerberg said.
Most large technology companies, including Apple, Microsoft, and Google, work in augmented reality technology, which covers computer-generated graphics in real-world images. They all compete to shape the next main interface of the computer after the smartphone and touch screen.
Zuckerberg’s remarks are remarkable because they represent a cohesive view of an industry leader on what augmented reality technology can do for consumers, not just other businesses, and identifies software that could be the hook to achieve that people buy and then bring advanced equipment to their face: face-to-face virtual communication.
The definitive vision years ago, as Zuckerberg said Monday, is a pair of normal-looking computer glasses that can display content next to the real world using transparent screens.
“There will be all these amazing use cases that come from this … instead of calling someone or doing a video chat, you just tap your fingers and teleport, and you’re sitting there and they’re yours sofa and it looks like you’re there together, ”Zuckerberg said.
Zuckerberg says one of the advantages of RA-driven “teleportation” is that it could reduce travel or commute time. Ultimately, RA could allow workers to live where they want, perhaps a less expensive region, and “basically teleport to work,” Zuckerberg said.
“We talked a little bit about climate change before it was that important,” Zuckerberg said. “People will want to travel a little less in the future, do it more efficiently and be able to go places without having to take travel or commute time.”
Zuckerberg’s interview comes as the social media company plans to launch smart glasses in collaboration with Ray-Ban later this year, though he said they wouldn’t be “complete ARs.” which means they will not display advanced virtual objects. Facebook plans to launch more advanced RA glasses as the technology improves.
Facebook is also developing virtual reality headsets that don’t have transparent screens using Oculus, which it bought in 2014 for $ 2 billion. It currently sells the Oculus 2, a $ 300 virtual reality headset. Zuckerberg said he believes software makers will start making virtual reality software before moving to augmented reality, and calls the two technologies “two sides of the same coin.”