Meta Portal (also known as Portal) is a brand of smart displays and videophones released in 2018 by Meta. 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. The devices are integrated with Amazon's voice-controlled intelligent personal assistant service Alexa. Meta uses some data collected from Portal devices for targeted advertising.
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.
History
On October 8, 2018, Facebook, Inc. announced the sale and shipment of the Portal and the Portal Plus. 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. 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+".
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.
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.
Devices
Portal
Portal was the original 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+
The original Portal+ was released in 2018 alongside the smaller Portal. This product was not upgraded in the 2019 releases. In 2021, a slightly smaller new Portal+ was released which, like the previous version, is fixed in landscape orientation but has a mechanism to tilt the screen.
Technical details of original Portal+ (2018) :
1920 x 1080 touch screen
12 megapixels camera with 140° field of view (before picture treatment ?) Four microphones array Two speakers of , one speaker of Wi-Fi Connectivity 2.4Ghz & 5Ghz Dimensions : Heigh : / Width : / Depth : / Weight :
Technical details of second Portal+ (2021) :
2160 x 1440 touch screen
12 megapixels camera with 131° field of view (after picture treatment) Four microphone array Two 5W full range speakers, one 20W woofer Wi-Fi Connectivity 2.4Ghz & 5Ghz Dimensions : Heigh : / Width : / Depth : / Weight :
Portal Mini
Portal Mini was introduced in 2019 alongside the second generation Portal. It was a similar form factor allowing use in either portrait or landscape orientation. The Mini was discontinued after the 2021 release cycle.
Portal TV
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.
Portal Go
Portal Go was first introduced in Fall 2021. This 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.
Portal for Business
Portal for Business is a software package announced in Fall 2021 that allows any of the portal devices to operate as conference room machines, supporting various third-party calling platforms as well as ties into business applications such as calendar.
Privacy
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. Each Portal device also includes a cover that can be slid over the camera when not in use.
During the product announcement, Facebook initially claimed that data obtained from Portal devices would not be used for targeted advertising. 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". The company later clarified that it analyzes the metadata, not the content, of video calls made through Portal devices.