- The iris-scanning Orb from Worldcoin, launched over four months ago, is set to undergo a significant upgrade
- The upgrade is set to make it resemble an “Apple product” for greater public acceptance
- The next iteration of the Orb, slated for the first half of the year, will feature alternative colors and forms for a more user-friendly appearance.
Worldcoin’s iris-scanning Orb is set to undergo a makeover to make it more appealing, according to a report. Alex Blania, CEO of Tools for Humanity, the company behind Worldcoin, revealed to TechCrunch that the Orb, launched over four months ago, is getting a significant upgrade to make it resemble an “Apple product” in order to make it more acceptable to the public. Speaking at a StrictlyVC event, Blania revealed that the next iteration of the Orb, set to roll out in the first half of the year, will feature alternative colors and forms to create a more user-friendly appearance.
Orb 2.0: The Acceptable Face of Orb
Worldcoin has had something of a rocky start to life since launching last year, temporarily pausing its operations in India and its limited-time previews in Brazil and France a few months after launching the service due to privacy concerns. Worldcoin’s Orb, a five-pound chromatic sphere, scans individuals’ eyeballs to verify their identity and is similar to India’s Aadhaar system, which uses biometric data for identity verification.
The purpose of Worldcoin is to create an all-in-one verification system to prevent the need for a plethora of accounts in a person’s life, with rewards for those who take part in the form of WDC tokens.
Worldcoin to launch new Orb to make its eyeball scanning device look “more friendly” https://t.co/aRlV0xq9AT
— TechCrunch (@TechCrunch) January 25, 2024
Worldcoin informed us in an emailed statement that:
World App continues to experience broad adoption in India where thousands download the app each week. Orb-verified proof of personhood services have been temporarily scaled back as the protocol works to develop and roll out a bespoke, safe and orderly process that sufficiently meets the demand for World ID in India. Individuals are encouraged to refer to the World App and Worldcoin website for updates regarding Orb availability near them.
Despite the Orb’s polarizing design, with opinions ranging from love to hate, Blania emphasized the device’s functionality and the widespread interest it has garnered. The recent upgrades aim to enhance user adoption, with over 190,000 new accounts created in the past seven days, bringing the total user base to 3.13 million people.
