Meta vs Apple: The AR Race Designers Shape
Meta’s teasing us again.
They’ve unveiled Orion, a pair of AR glasses that look like something you’d wear if you wanted to blend into the office without anyone knowing you’re secretly a superhero.
The kind of glasses that don’t scream “tech nerd”—until you put them on and suddenly, the future’s glowing in front of your eyes.
These AR glasses aren’t just fancy eyewear, though. They’re part of Zuckerberg’s billion-dollar bet that one day, we’ll toss our smartphones aside and walk around with digital overlays in our daily lives.
But there’s a catch: you can’t buy them yet. Too expensive. Too complicated to make. Classic tech story, right? Oh, and in case you missed it, Apple’s Vision Pro is already out there in the wild. Meta’s Orion might be sleeker, but Apple’s already shipping.
So what’s holding Meta back? And why should designers care?
The Innovator’s Dilemma (and Why Meta’s Cautious)
Here’s the deal: when you’re a big company like Meta, you’ve got to balance two things—investing in the future without blowing up what’s working for you right now.
For Apple, shipping a high-priced AR device like the Vision Pro is business as usual. They sell hardware. One more fancy device in their lineup isn’t a massive risk. They know how to make it, market it, and sell it. Plus, it doesn’t disrupt their core business. Sure, the Vision Pro is cutting-edge, but at the end of the day, it’s another product that fits nicely into their ecosystem—no threat to their cash cow.
Meta? Different story.
Meta doesn’t make billions selling devices. Meta makes its money from ads. Ads that pop up in your feed when you’re doomscrolling Instagram or Facebook on your phone. But if we’re all walking around wearing AR glasses, where do the ads go? How does Meta monetize a future where we’re no longer staring at screens? That’s a much bigger question. And a much bigger risk.
This is The Innovator’s Dilemma in full force. If Meta goes all-in on Orion and AR replaces smartphones, their entire ad revenue model could take a hit. They’re cautious because, for them, this isn’t just about launching a cool new gadget. It’s about rethinking the core of their business. Apple doesn’t have this problem. For them, selling a shiny new device is just Tuesday.
The problem with Orion isn’t that it’s not amazing—it is. But it’s also expensive. $10,000 per pair expensive. And Meta knows that to make this work, they need to bring that cost way down and figure out how to keep their ad revenue flowing in an AR world. That’s why they’re holding back. The risk is bigger, and they can’t afford to just throw something out there and hope it sticks.
But here’s the thing: the risk is worth it. Because if Meta gets Orion right, they won’t just make a cool gadget—they could reshape how we experience the world. Entirely.
Why Does This Matter for Designers?
So, how does the Innovator’s Dilemma impact you as a designer? Simple: you’re often the one caught in the middle of it. Your clients or company want to innovate but fear the risks that come with it.
That’s where you come in.
Designers have a secret weapon to tackle this: prototyping. When the stakes are high and the risks feel too big, prototyping lets you test bold ideas in a low-risk environment. It’s exactly what Meta’s doing with Orion—experimenting before going all-in.
By building prototypes, you can de-risk decisions. Show what’s possible without requiring a full commitment. You help stakeholders see the future without having to bet everything on it. In other words, you empower them to take smarter risks.
Remember: A prototype is worth 1,000 meetings!