The division has lost over $70 billion since 2021, with many products failing to generate significant revenue. Meta is scaling back VR hardware investments to prioritize sustainability.
Meta plans to redirect savings into AI-powered wearables, including expanding production of smart glasses (e.g., Ray-Ban) in partnership with EssilorLuxottica, targeting up to 20 million units annually by end of 2026.
While Meta will still develop Metaverse products, it’s prioritizing mobile platforms and AI creator tools over immersive VR headsets. Horizon (Metaverse software) will focus on mobile experiences for broader adoption.
Meta is shutting down three in-house VR game studios (Armature, Sanzaru, Twisted Pixel) and halting new content for VR fitness app Supernatural. Gaming remains a priority, but investment will shift to third-party developers for long-term sustainability.
Meta Platforms Inc. is set to cut more than 1,000 jobs from its Reality Labs division as the company redirects resources away from virtual reality and Metaverse products toward artificial intelligence-powered (AI-powered) wearables and mobile features.
According to an internal post from Meta Chief Technology Officer Andrew Bosworth, employees affected by the layoffs will be notified starting on Jan. 20. The cuts are expected to affect roughly 10% of the Reality Labs workforce, which totals about 15,000 employees....<<<Read More>>>...
