The first version of Meta’s AR glasses will be for developers exclusively

Key takeaways: 

• It’s also withdrawing a scheduled smartwatch with two cameras.
• Employees working in Meta’s Reality Labs division making VR and AR hardware were notified of the decision this week.

Meta has chosen not to sell the first version of its full-fledged AR glasses, codenamed Orion, and will distribute them to designers so they can make software experiences for the device. In future versions, an individual familiar with the matter informed The Verge. The firm is also delaying plans to release a smartwatch with a detachable display and two cameras in vogue of a design better suitable to handle a later version of the glasses.

The first version of the AR glasses, which have been in action for three years, will always be geared toward innovators and early adopters. 

Still, the person said that executives hadn’t chosen whether to sell them broadly until now. Workers working in Meta’s Reality Labs division making VR and AR hardware were notified of the decision this week. The Information first noted the news on Thursday.

Meta is working on three iterations of standalone AR glasses to debut over the following several years.