Meta Portal
Meta Portal (also known as Portal) is a discontinued brand of smart displays and videophones released in 2018 by Meta.[1][2] The product line consists of four models: Portal, Portal+, Portal TV, and Portal Go. These models provide video chat via Messenger and WhatsApp, augmented by a camera that can automatically zoom and track people's movements.[3] The devices are integrated with Amazon's voice-controlled intelligent personal assistant service Alexa.[2][4][5]
Developer
Reviewers rated the Portal line's video and audio handling capabilities positively, but criticized Facebook's privacy practices for commercial use of data that Portal devices captured.[6][7][8] Meta uses some data collected from Portal devices for targeted advertising, which reviewers cited as a privacy drawback.
History[edit]
On October 8, 2018, Facebook, Inc. announced the sale and shipment of the 10.1-inch (25.7 cm) Portal and the 15.6-inch (39.6 cm) Portal Plus.[9][10] The second generation of Portal devices was announced on September 18, 2019; the second-generation Portal and Portal Mini were released on October 15, while Portal TV was released on November 5.[11][12] On September 21, 2021, Facebook announced 2 new devices, a battery powered 10-inch device called "Portal Go" and a new generation of the 14-inch device called "Portal+".[13][14][15]
In June 2022, it was reported that Meta was preparing to phase out Portal as a consumer product and instead focus on the enterprise market.[16][17]
Later, in November 2022, it was reported that Meta would discontinue both its Portal and two remaining unreleased smartwatches. This came after Meta cut some 11,000 jobs at the company as a cost cutting measure.[18]
Devices[edit]
Portal[edit]
Portal was the original 10.1-inch (25.7 cm) device released in 2018. The second generation device in 2019 also supported portrait orientation, which was much more convenient when video calling someone on a smart phone, typically held in portrait orientation.
Portal+[edit]
The original 15.6-inch (39.6 cm) Portal+ was released in 2018 alongside the smaller Portal. This product was not upgraded in the 2019 releases. In 2021, a slightly smaller 14-inch (35.6 cm) new Portal+ was released which, like the previous version, is fixed in landscape orientation but has a mechanism to tilt the screen.
Portal TV[edit]
Portal TV was released in September 2019 alongside the second generation portal. This device has a form factor similar to the Microsoft Kinect with a built in camera and microphone but no display. It connects to a TV, enabling the TV to have features similar to other devices in the Portal family.[19]
Portal Go[edit]
Portal Go was first introduced in Fall 2021. This 10.1-inch (25.7 cm) device is a similar design to the first generation Portal only offering landscape mode. This is the first battery powered Portal device allowing the user to remove it from the charging cradle and relocate it to other locations without powering down.[14]
Privacy[edit]
According to Facebook, the Portal devices only record audio after the user speaks the "Hey Portal" command, and only record video during video calling sessions.[20] Each Portal device also includes a cover that can be slid over the camera when not in use.[21]
During the product announcement, Facebook initially claimed that data obtained from Portal devices would not be used for targeted advertising.[20] One week after the announcement, Facebook changed its position and stated that "usage data such as length of calls, frequency of calls" and "general usage data, such as aggregate usage of apps, etc., may also feed into the information that we use to serve ads".[22][8] The company later clarified that it analyzes the metadata, not the content, of video calls made through Portal devices.[23]
