TECH NEWS – Mark Zuckerberg declared the death of smartphones. Five months later, he buried his own replacement. Meta’s new glasses presentation impressed technically but flopped in practice.

Mark Zuckerberg has become one of the most iconic faces of technological progress. Despite the controversies surrounding Facebook’s creation, the New Yorker rose to global fame thanks to the success of his social network. He later led one of the boldest bets in history: pouring billions of dollars into virtual reality and rebranding his company accordingly. In the process, “Zuck” burned through much of his fortune. His ambition reached a new level when he boldly claimed the age of smartphones was ending.

He was not the first to make such a claim. Nokia, the fallen phone giant, once predicted smartphones would disappear by 2030 — a forecast that now seems absurd. Humane, the company behind the forgotten AI Pin, also made a similar claim. But both they and Zuckerberg have run into the same wall: the public simply cannot imagine life without smartphones.

Smart Glasses Are Still Unpopular

According to Zuckerberg, smartphones will be replaced by smart glasses, a product line Meta has been doubling down on. At Connect 2025, he unveiled the “Ray-Ban Display” AR glasses, revealing both the price and release date. The glasses will launch on September 30 at $799 (likely €799 in Europe, including taxes).

The device integrates a muscle-control wristband and an AI chatbot. It can manage messages, music, video calls, and navigation without consulting your phone. A color microdisplay (600×600, 90 Hz) sits in the right lens, paired with real-time captions and Instagram integration. Gesture controls let you pinch, twist, or move your fingers to execute commands.

On paper, the specs were impressive, but problems soon surfaced. Despite an integrated viewfinder, 3x digital zoom camera, upgraded microphone array, and improved touchpad, the device records only in 1080p at 30 fps and lasts just six hours on a charge (plus 24 more with the case). Critics immediately slammed the battery life as insufficient.

What Went Wrong at Meta’s Demo?

The real fiasco came during the live demonstration. Chef Jack Mancuso attempted to cook a sauce guided by the glasses’ AI. Instead, the system failed spectacularly. Attendees watched in silence as the AI gave nonsensical instructions: “Now grate a pear into the non-existent sauce.”

Mancuso blamed Wi-Fi issues, playing it off with humor. Zuckerberg tried the same approach, but things worsened when his own demo failed. Though he managed to send a text message using the wristband, he couldn’t accept a live video call. For minutes, the ringtone echoed as Zuckerberg waved his hands helplessly, met with nervous laughter from the crowd.

Just months ago, Zuckerberg claimed smart glasses would replace phones. Instead, his demo proved the opposite: smartphones are alive and well, while his glasses stumbled. Meta’s presentation felt less like a tech revolution and more like a PR disaster.

Source: 3djuegos