Meta Connect 2024 Online: What we expect to see

Dive into what the 2024 Meta Connect online experience might offer as Meta gears up to showcase its latest technological innovations in AI, VR, and Metaverse developments.

Exploring the Virtual Venue: The Online Experience at Meta Connect 2024

Attending Meta Connect 2024 online will provide an immersive experience that utilises advanced VR and AR technologies, including the latest in smart glasses. Participants can explore a virtual venue that mirrors the physical event in Menlo Park, offering a seamless blend of real and virtual worlds. This year, Meta is set to redefine virtual event hosting with interactive 3D environments, virtual booths, a VR showcase, and live-streamed keynotes. The integration of virtual reality and smart glasses will push the boundaries of how we experience digital events.

Industries leveraging virtual reality will find this September event particularly relevant, as Meta unveils future innovations on its Meta platform, including the highly anticipated Meta Quest 3. Attendees can expect to explore the latest developments in Meta AI and its applications for Meta business, alongside new features in the Meta Business Suite app and Meta for Business. The event is likely to highlight future advancements in Meta's multiple device management, offering insights into creating a cohesive, mesh-branded experience. Additionally, attendees can expect updates on optimising Meta Quest 3 compatibility, including future trends in storage expansion and memory upgrades.

The online platform for Meta Connect 2024 will be accessible through Facebook and Horizon Worlds, enabling attendees to navigate various sessions, network with fellow participants, and interact with engaging content. Whether joining from a desktop or using an XR headset like the Meta Quest 3 or an ultralight headset, the event promises a dynamic and immersive experience. Additionally, those interested in VRX webinars will find valuable insights throughout the event.

Participants can explore industries using virtual reality and witness advancements in Meta AI, Meta business, and the Meta business suite app. The event may showcase how Meta’s platform integrates with Meta for Business and Meta for Work, highlighting new features in Meta’s multiple device management. 

How to attend Meta Connect

Meta Connect is Meta's premier technology conference, uniting developers, creators, and tech enthusiasts to explore the company's future vision. Meta Connect 2024 will be a hybrid event featuring an in-person component at Meta's Menlo Park campus, alongside a virtual livestream accessible globally through Facebook and Horizon Worlds. The event will showcase innovations in Meta AI, the Meta platform, and Meta for Business, including insights into Meta Quest and Mesh rooms.

Registering for Meta Connect 2024 is easy, with options for both physical and virtual attendance. Registration for Connect 2024 is available free of charge on Meta’s official website. Once signed up on the website, you will receive regular updates and announcements leading up to the actual event on September 25 and 26.

Early registration is advisable to secure your spot and receive timely updates about the event's schedule and features. Whether attending from home with Meta Quest 3 or Meta Quest Pro, or joining the in-person event at Meta's headquarters in Menlo Park, Meta ensures a comprehensive and inclusive experience for all attendees.

When it’s time to attend, you can follow along with the conference using one of the below options:

• Join the event IRL at Meta’s campus in Menlo Park, California.
• Follow along virtually, in real-time or on-demand, using the @MetaforDevelopers Facebook Page.
• View the entire live keynote in VR using the Horizon Worlds app on your Meta Quest headset. (Make sure you’re in the list of 13 supported countries where Horizon Worlds is available, first.)
• Join the event IRL at Meta’s campus in Menlo Park, California.
• Follow along virtually, in real-time or on-demand, using the @MetaforDevelopers Facebook Page.
• View the entire live keynote in VR using the Horizon Worlds app on your Meta Quest headset. (Make sure you’re in the list of 13 supported countries where Horizon Worlds is available, first.)

What to expect from Meta Connect this year

Meta Connect 2024 is set to be a showcase of the company's latest advancements in AI, VR, and the Metaverse. Attendees can look forward to announcements about new AI-driven tools, updates to the MetaAI chatbot, and enhancements in the Llama family of large language models. Additionally, the integration of generative AI models across Meta's platforms, including Instagram, Quest, and WhatsApp, will be a significant highlight.

Meta Quest 3s

At Meta Connect 2024, one of the most anticipated announcements is the potential unveiling of the Meta Quest 3S, a more affordable version of last year's Quest 3 VR headset. Although Meta has not officially confirmed it, a recent store listing leak suggests the existence of this "lite" model. The Quest 3S could play a key role in expanding Meta's VR ecosystem by making immersive VR experiences more accessible through a lower price point. While specific features and specs remain uncertain, the reduced cost likely means some trade-offs compared to the premium Quest 3. Additionally, the Quest 3S is expected to integrate Llama 3.1, Meta's advanced AI model, which could bring enhanced AI assistant capabilities and vision features, similar to those in the Ray-Ban smart glasses.

Orion AR Glasses Prototype

Meta Connect 2024 might finally offer a first look at Meta's highly anticipated augmented reality glasses, codenamed Project Orion. Unlike the Ray-Ban Stories smart glasses, which focused on audio and camera features, the Orion AR glasses are expected to deliver authentic visual AR experiences with digital overlays seamlessly integrated into the real world.

Meta has been working on the Orion glasses for nearly a decade, marking a significant advancement in AR technology. While a consumer-ready product is still likely a few years away, Meta may showcase an early prototype to highlight its progress and inspire developers to start creating AR applications for the platform.

This breakthrough technology is enabled by integration with advanced AI models like Llama 3.1, which provides rapid data processing capabilities to the device. Additionally, it will leverage Meta's vision models to recognize and interact with real-world objects and environments.AI Chatbots and Avatars

The Meta Horizon Ecosystem

Naturally, Meta Connect 2024 wouldn't be complete without major updates on the company's metaverse ambitions. In his keynote, Mark Zuckerberg is expected to outline Meta's vision for the metaverse over the coming year and beyond.

We can anticipate a progress report on Horizon Worlds, Meta's social VR platform that seeks to unify avatars, inventory, and identity across various virtual experiences. Meta may also introduce new tools and standards designed to help developers create more interoperable content for the metaverse.

Networking and Interaction: How Meta Connect Fosters Community Online

Meta Connect 2024 is focused on fostering a strong sense of community among attendees, even within the virtual environment. The event will offer numerous opportunities for networking and interaction, including virtual meet-and-greets and interactive Q&A sessions with speakers. Specially designed networking lounges within the virtual venue will enable participants to connect with peers, exchange ideas, and collaborate on new projects.

Beyond the structured networking events, the online platform will also feature social spaces where attendees can engage in casual conversations, join group discussions, and forge meaningful connections. Meta's dedication to creating an engaging and interactive online community is reflected in the thoughtful design of these virtual spaces.