Hardware Podcasts

Episode 87: Shrinking Silicon (Meta Orion) and Excited about Hardware Again!

The Circuit · 30 Sept 2024 · 40m · Episode 87

What this episode covers

Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg analyze Meta's Orion AR glasses concept, highlighting the impressive miniaturization and custom silicon achieved despite the device being a non-shipping prototype. They compare Meta's strategy of showing a future concept with an affordable current ecosystem (Quest) against Apple's Vision Pro, which prioritizes shipping a high-end product. The hosts discuss the challenges of scaling AR hardware, the role of MediaTek in custom chip design, and the potential for an open software ecosystem in the future.

Most relevant to

large enterprises

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Meta, Apple, Google, MediaTek, Qualcomm, Ventiva, Ixana
Products
Orion, Vision Pro, Quest 3, Snap Spectacles
Chips
Snapdragon

Related episodes from other shows

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • Moore's Lobby · 59m

    Stepping Outside the Metaverse to Discuss Next-Gen Hardware Development

    Agustya Mehta, Director of System Platforms for Reality Labs Hardware at Meta, discusses the engineering challenges of next-generation AR/VR devices, drawing on his experience at Microsoft, Apple, and the startup Nado. He details the transition from bulky prototypes to untethered headsets, highlighting advances in silicon, micro-displays, and inside-out tracking. Mehta emphasizes the importance of balancing strict engineering constraints with industrial design to create wearable devices that are both functional and socially acceptable, particularly for accessibility applications.

    PCB design & layoutIndustrial & consumer product design
    10 chapters

  • EE Times Current · 45m

    How to Build a Metaverse

    Kevin Krewell, principal analyst at Tirias Research, discusses the state of the metaverse, noting that while Facebook (Meta) is betting heavily on VR with Oculus headsets like the Quest 2, hardware limitations and lack of compelling daily use cases remain hurdles. He highlights Qualcomm's dominance in AR/VR chips and the potential for mixed reality, while also analyzing the semiconductor supply chain crisis, particularly the shortage of trailing-edge chips and structural logistics issues. The episode concludes with an interview with Avnet CEO Phil Gallagher, who addresses the impact of Analog Devices' acquisition of Maxim Integrated on Avnet's distribution business and the broader trend of semiconductor supplier consolidation.

    Chips, FPGAs & semiconductorsConnected products & IoT
    5 chapters

  • Built 2 Scale · 1h 07m

    Meta's AR Leak, Larry's TikTok Takeover & Brett Burns Another Billion

    Hosts Scott Wilcox and Matt Perrott discuss Meta's leaked AR Ray-Bans with EMG wristband control, contrasting them with the failed Apple Vision Pro. They analyze Elon Musk's revelations on Tesla Optimus complexity and Larry Ellison's strategic moves with Oracle and TikTok, while also covering Figure AI's massive valuation and Mira Murati's deterministic AI research.

    Industrial & consumer product designRobotics & autonomy
    9 chapters

  • Thoroughly Considered · 54m

    76: Tom’s Future Corner

    Tom Gerhardt and Dan Provost of Studio Neat discuss the operational realities of scaling a physical product business, including the high upfront costs of manufacturing custom metal parts for the Mark Two pen and the strategic use of Facebook and Instagram ads to reach niche audiences. They analyze the future of hardware, arguing that small companies must compete through brand storytelling rather than novelty, as patents are often unenforceable and commoditization is inevitable. The episode also features a critique of Sir Jony Ive’s new Terra Carta seal design and a re-evaluation of skeuomorphism as a functional onboarding tool.

    Pricing, margins & unit economicsDirect-to-consumer & e-commerce
    6 chapters

  • The Amp Hour · 1h 09m

    The RP1 and beyond with the Raspberry Pi Hardware team

    James Adams (CTO) and Liam Fraser (Hardware/Software Engineer) from Raspberry Pi discuss the development of the RP1 custom silicon, the success of the RP2040 microcontroller, and the architecture of the Raspberry Pi 5. They explain how RP1 acts as a Southbridge/chiplet to offload I/O functions from the main Broadcom SoC, allowing for cost and complexity reductions as process nodes shrink. The conversation covers their internal chip design tooling, sourcing strategies during the chip shortage, and the rationale for sticking with ARM over RISC-V.

    Chips, FPGAs & semiconductorsMicrocontrollers & dev platforms
    6 chapters

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by The Circuit. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.