in the payments and other fees segment, which includes Oculus virtual reality headsets and Portal devices, rose 36% to $262 million, accounting for less than 2% of total sales.
Facebook on Wednesday announced Portal TV, a streaming device that allows users to make video calls using their TVs.Selling the combination of a smart speaker and video-streaming product gets Facebook closer to an all-purpose streaming service as it goes up against stiff competition. Amazon and Google have video devices and services as well as smart speakers, and Apple is moving from a streaming box to aoffering that will cost $4.99 a month.
Facebook also announced the Portal Mini video chat smart speaker and a redesigned version of its Portal speakers, for $129 and $179, respectively, to start shipping Oct. 15. The Portal Mini features an 8-inch screen while the full-size Portal has a 10-inch screen like its predecessor. Facebook begins taking preorders for all three devices on Wednesday.that Facebook launched in 2016 in an effort to expand its hardware offerings.
According to IDC, Facebook has shipped just over 54,000 Portal devices since its launch. Facebook has said the IDC number is not accurate but hasn't provided an official figure.that the company has been working to develop augmented reality glasses for the past couple of years, but after struggling with product development, opted to partner with Ray-Ban parent Luxottica.
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