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

- Show: [The Circuit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit)
- Published: 2024-09-30
- Length: 40m
- Episode: 87
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2024-09-30-episode-87-shrinking-silicon-meta-orion-and-excited-about-hardware-again
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/5cd7bc44

## Summary

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.

## Chapters

- [0:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2024-09-30-episode-87-shrinking-silicon-meta-orion-and-excited-about-hardware-again#t=6) Introduction: Meta Orion Concept and Custom Silicon
- [2:25](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2024-09-30-episode-87-shrinking-silicon-meta-orion-and-excited-about-hardware-again#t=145) Comparing Meta Orion and Apple Vision Pro Strategies
- [5:58](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2024-09-30-episode-87-shrinking-silicon-meta-orion-and-excited-about-hardware-again#t=358) Timing, Credibility, and the Developer Ecosystem
- [15:56](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2024-09-30-episode-87-shrinking-silicon-meta-orion-and-excited-about-hardware-again#t=956) Meta's Strategy: Affordable Headsets vs. Apple's High-End Approach
- [21:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2024-09-30-episode-87-shrinking-silicon-meta-orion-and-excited-about-hardware-again#t=1261) The Open Ecosystem Question and Google's Role
- [25:35](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2024-09-30-episode-87-shrinking-silicon-meta-orion-and-excited-about-hardware-again#t=1535) Custom Silicon, MediaTek, and Supply Chain Dynamics
- [31:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2024-09-30-episode-87-shrinking-silicon-meta-orion-and-excited-about-hardware-again#t=1861) Future of AR: Miniaturization, Input Methods, and Timeline

## Topics

- [Chips, FPGAs & semiconductors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/chips-and-fpgas)
- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)
- [Connected products & IoT](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/connected-products-and-iot)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)

## Most relevant to

large enterprises

## Mentioned

- Meta (company)
- Orion (product)
- Apple (company)
- Vision Pro (product)
- Google (company)
- Quest 3 (product)
- Snap Spectacles (product)
- MediaTek (company)
- Qualcomm (company)
- Snapdragon (chip)
- Ventiva (company)
- Ixana (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Stepping Outside the Metaverse to Discuss Next-Gen Hardware Development](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/moores-lobby/2024-01-16-stepping-outside-the-metaverse-to-discuss-next-gen-hardware-development) (Moore's Lobby)
- [How to Build a Metaverse](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2021-11-05-how-to-build-a-metaverse) (EE Times Current)
- [Meta's AR Leak, Larry's TikTok Takeover & Brett Burns Another Billion](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/built-2-scale/2025-09-19-metas-ar-leak-larrys-tiktok-takeover-brett-burns-another-billion) (Built 2 Scale)
- [76: Tom’s Future Corner](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2022-01-12-76-toms-future-corner) (Thoroughly Considered)
- [The RP1 and beyond with the Raspberry Pi Hardware team](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2023-10-23-the-rp1-and-beyond-with-the-raspberry-pi-hardware-team) (The Amp Hour)

## Citing this page

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