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| Developer | Meta Platforms |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Meta Platforms |
| Type | Smart display |
| Release date | November 8, 2018; 6 years ago (2018-11-08) |
| Operating system | Android-based |
| Input | Voice commands |
| Website | meta |
| This article is part of a series about |
| Meta Platforms |
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Meta Portal (also known asPortal) is a discontinued brand ofsmart displays andvideophones released in 2018 byMeta.[1][2] The product line consists of four models: Portal, Portal+, Portal TV, and Portal Go. These models providevideo chat viaMessenger andWhatsApp, augmented by a camera that can automaticallyzoom andtrack people's movements.[3] The devices are integrated withAmazon's voice-controlledintelligent personal assistant serviceAlexa.[2][4][5]
Reviewers rated the Portal line's video and audio handling capabilities positively, butcriticized Facebook's privacy practices for commercial use of data that Portal devices captured.[6][7][8] Meta uses some data collected from Portal devices fortargeted advertising, which reviewers cited as a privacy drawback.
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]
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.
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 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.[14]
Portal TV was released in September 2019 alongside the second generation portal. This device has a form factor similar to theMicrosoftKinect 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 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]
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.[15]
According to Facebook, the Portal devices only record audio after the user speaks the "Hey Portal" command, and only record video duringvideo 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 fortargeted 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 themetadata, not the content, of video calls made through Portal devices.[23]
Dan Seifert ofThe Verge found the video and audio quality of Portal'svideo calling feature viaFacebook Messenger to be better than that of competing devices andvideotelephony services, but said that "Outside of video calling, the Portal's functionality is rather limited." In light of theFacebook–Cambridge Analytica data scandal, he expressed concerns that the product is "always-watching and always-listening".[10] Megan Wollerton ofCNET praised the device'sautotrackingwide-angle cameras, which allow the subject to remain centered in the device'sfield of view. Wollerton also hadreservations regarding Facebook's privacy policy in relation to Portal's video calls and wrote, "a spokesperson told us that Facebook will, in fact, track information about calls made via Portal to expand on theuser profiles it uses to inform ads that show up elsewhere."[7]
In aPC Magazine review, Sascha Segan said, "From a purely technical standpoint, this is by far the best video calling appliance we've seen", and believed that Portal would be a good complement forremote workers if it gains integration withWorkplace by Facebook, a feature that is not yet released. However, Segan considered Portal a "horror" from "a policy and privacy perspective" because of the "massive abuses of data on Facebook's consumer platform".[6] Writing forTom's Guide, Mike Prospero and Monica Chin criticized the "large and obtrusive" size of the display, characterizing it as "dystopian" and "more at home in aBlack Mirror episode than in my living room or kitchen". The reviewers echoed "Ongoing privacy concerns", but presented a favorable impression of Portal's automaticpanning and audio quality.[24]
InEngadget, Nicole Lee complimented the second-generation Portal's subdued appearance and ability to be used in both portrait and landscape orientations.[25] Adrienne So ofWired highlighted Portal'svideo tracking andaugmented reality features, but denounced Facebook's inclination to "default to sharing more, not less".[26]
Segan's review of the Portal TV inPC Magazine contrasted the device's competitive video calling capabilities with its "thin" support forstreaming media services, and criticized Facebook'sdata security record.[27] In a negative CNET review, Wollerton stated that the Portal TV is "a solidly performing, decently priced device that just isn't suited for anyone because of the privacy concerns and increasingly alarming issues" affecting Facebook.[28]
On January 17, 2019,The New York Times columnistKevin Roose posted onTwitter that Facebook Portal'sAmazon product listing contained five-star reviews that appeared to have been written by Facebook employees,[29][30][31] including one who claimed to have "historically not been a big Facebook or other social media user" before purchasing Portal.[32][33] These reviews were written in violation of Amazon's community guidelines, which forbid "creating, modifying, or posting content regarding your (or your relative's, close friend's, business associate's, or employer's) products or services".[34][35] In response, Facebook's augmented and virtual-reality vice presidentAndrew Bosworth stated that the reviews were "neither coordinated nor directed from the company" and indicated that Facebook would instruct the employees to remove them.[36][37][38]
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