Meta’s Quest to Shape the Future: Can It Finally Succeed?
Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has built one of the most dominant social media empires of the modern era. However, its attempts to expand beyond social networking have often fallen short. Despite past failures, the company is once again setting its sights on the future – this time with humanoid robots.
A New Bet on Robotics
Meta is reportedly developing robots designed to perform household tasks, according to Bloomberg. However, the company’s real ambition goes beyond building its own devices. Instead, it aims to create a platform that other companies can use to develop their robots – potentially positioning Meta as a key player in the robotics industry.
This strategy reflects a broader need for Meta to secure a win in an area outside of social media. While its apps, including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, remain massively popular, the company has struggled to break into the hardware market. Its previous attempt to control smartphone technology failed, leaving Apple and Google to dominate the space. Now, with artificial intelligence and robotics shaping the future of tech, Meta appears determined not to be left behind.
However, competition in the robotics space is already heating up. Tesla has been showcasing its humanoid Optimus robot, and Nvidia recently unveiled AI-powered robotics technology at the Consumer Electronics Show. Meta will need to move quickly if it hopes to gain a foothold in this evolving industry.
The Metaverse Gamble
Meta’s most high-profile attempt to expand beyond social media came in 2021 when the company rebranded itself to focus on the metaverse. CEO Mark Zuckerberg described it as the next big evolution of the internet – one that would redefine digital interactions through virtual and augmented reality.
However, nearly four years later, the metaverse remains a niche market. While Meta remains the leading player in the VR industry, with its Quest headsets capturing about 71% of the market, overall sales of mixed reality devices remain modest. In 2025, just 7.7 million units are expected to ship worldwide – tiny compared to the hundreds of millions of smartphones sold each quarter.
Despite heavy investment, the metaverse has yet to reach the mainstream, raising questions about whether it will ever become the next major computing platform Meta envisioned.
A History of Consumer Flops
Meta’s struggles with expansion go beyond the metaverse. In 2013, it launched a Facebook-branded smartphone in partnership with HTC, but the device failed to attract buyers and was quickly discounted to just $0.99. Similarly, its smart home video calling device, the Meta Portal, failed to gain traction and was discontinued.
However, not all of Meta’s hardware experiments have been flops. Its partnership with Ray-Ban to produce smart glasses has shown some promise, with parent company EssilorLuxottica reporting sales of two million units since their launch in 2023. While still a small number compared to other consumer electronics, smart glasses remain an emerging category, giving Meta a potential opening.
The Bigger Picture
Unlike its past consumer hardware attempts, Meta’s reported push into robotics may follow a different strategy. Instead of simply launching a new product, the company could focus on building a platform – similar to how Android powers many of the world’s smartphones. If successful, this approach could help Meta cement itself as a foundational force in robotics, even if it doesn’t manufacture the robots itself.
Ultimately, Meta is still chasing a future where it plays a defining role in technology beyond social media. Whether it will finally succeed remains to be seen.
