In March 2020, Facebook, now known as Meta Platforms, struck a deal to buy augmented reality displays from British firm Plessey, aiming to develop AR glasses and compete with Apple. However, the development of Plessey's technology has stalled, and Meta has struggled to make the displays bright enough and reduce defects. As a result, they abandoned Plessey's microLED tech in favor of an older display technology. This decision, along with others, has diminished the AR glasses' edge over competitors like Microsoft's HoloLens. Meanwhile, Microsoft is introducing AI-powered beauty filters from Maybelline in its Teams video conferencing platform. The filters, developed in collaboration with the Geena Davis Institute, offer virtual makeup looks to enhance users' appearance during meetings. Though beauty filters in professional apps raise concerns about mental health and body image issues, the feature is rolling out to global Microsoft Teams Enterprise customers. In the entertainment world, Fox launched a reality TV show called "Stars on Mars," featuring minor celebrities and former athletes as "celebronauts" competing in a "Survivor"-like elimination series set on Mars. Participants face challenges while living in a simulated off-Earth habitat, and an AI companion character in the form of a robotic dog, RADDOG, adds a unique twist to the show. The show premiered in June and continues with various episodes featuring new tasks and challenges for the celebronauts.
