Meta hosted its annual "Connect" event on Wednesday. Curiously, the business kicked things off at 7 pm ET (4 pm PT), following "Made by Google" as the second important tech event of 2026 to obtain location in the evening. While that power have reduced the customary visibility of the event, it certainly wasn't an unremarkable presentation: Meta CEO Mark Zuckberg laid out the company's big hardware and AI plans and sold us a throw for Meta's imagination for the forthcoming of work, entertainment, and social connectivity. Here's what the business announced.
Meta's next astute glasses don't have cameras
Meta makes several of the most famous astute glasses on the market. That doesn't average it has a awesome reputation. As it turns out, many of us aren't eager on strolling former a deluge of glasses alongside embedded cameras anywhere we go. While astute glasses fans have their arguments for why the tech is useful, many others are merely put off by the privacy invasion.
I can't think of a improved logic to explain the direction Meta is taking alongside its latest astute glasses line: Ray-Ban Meta Audio glasses. As the name suggests, these glasses do not have cameras. Instead, Meta says they have open-ear audio, designed for "true all-day wearability." The new glasses have a reported 12 hours of power division life, during the charging case can add an additional 48 hours of use.
These glasses additionally have adjustable temple tips and swappable nose pads. You can use them to hear to music, admission Meta AI, and obtain phone calls—all without having to fend off accusations of unsolicited video recording. Meta says that Meta Audio glasses volition arrive in 23 distinct color and lens combinations in either "Clubmaster" or "Burbank" frames. They volition container Oct. 13, and you can pre-order them today for $349.
Meta introduced the Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 3)
Meta isn't entirely ditching its camera-embedded astute glasses, of course. In fact, it additionally introduced the next devices in its Ray-Ban Meta line. According to the company, these glasses run an hr longer than the former generation on a accusation (nine hours as opposed to eight) and arrive alongside new adjustable temple tips. There's a new gathering of six microphones that Meta says cuts out complete 90% of backdrop noise.
Meta did create a item to note that the "3K Ultra HD" camera embedded in the frames does affect an LED ray whenever you are recording, so the group about you are aware. Meta says those cameras volition shortly be capable to fire videos alongside Dolby Atmos spatial audio. These glasses are accessible now, in the two "Avaitor" and "Zena" frames, starting at $449.
Meta VR Glasses
The equipment that is generating the most headlines is the Meta VR Glasses, the company's new virtual actuality headset. Unlike another headsets, akin Meta's Quest row or Apple Vision Pro, this equipment looks additional akin an oversized brace of glasses than a complete headset. Meta says that, "thanks to a breakthrough glasses-like form factor," the merchandise doesn't need to depend on straps or bulky hardware to run, and is five times lighter than the Meta Quest 3. That's due, in part, to the "puck," a clip-on external equipment that handles compute, battery, and storage.
The Meta VR Glasses have a 5K micro-OLED "Infinite Display" that supports the two Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. They run on Qualcomm's new Snapdragon Reality Elite chip, during the puck's power division can stream high-resolution media for three hours at a time. It additionally supports 45W accelerated charging.
As a movie nerd, I'm intrigued by Meta's claims that this is the archetypal VR equipment that's IMAX Enhanced certified. Meta says it's among the lone ways to cognition "select films" in IMAX's expanded aspect ratio—at least, at home. That exclusivity extends to non-IMAX video formats as well: Avengers: Infinity War and Star Wars: A New Hope will be accessible in VR Enhanced versions. In addition, Disney+ subscribers volition be capable to observe choose films in 3D, and sports apps akin NBA, MLB, and ESPN volition assistance 8K "Immersive Sports" streaming alongside 180-degree views.
Like another headsets, the Meta VR Glasses assistance multiple virtual screens, which Meta envisions as a helpful tool for work. This equipment uses hand gestures for all controls, which method you can category using a virtual keyboard and authority the UI alongside a virtual trackpad. You can activity without any additional hardware, but Meta says you can nexus your Mac or PC to the glasses for added productivity.
The biggest marketing item is Meta's "hologram" feature, which lets you see a virtual depiction of another individual during on a call alongside them, creating the illusion you're really having an in-person conversation. These are full-body holograms, too—a archetypal for VR according to Meta (they equal have legs!). Of course, since this is a Meta product, you can additionally conversation to Meta AI during wearing the glasses. Meta VR Glasses volition commencement at $1,299.99 and volition be accessible in fountain 2027.
New features for existing Meta AI glasses
Connect wasn't fair concerning new hardware. Meta additionally announced a sequence of new features accessible throughout its new and existing glasses lines. One of the most intriguing is onboard hearing assistance, an FDA-cleared characteristic that helps adults alongside mild to average hearing loss, but this helpful characteristic won't be free: Users looking to add hearing aid to their glasses volition need to pay a one-time $149.99 upgrade fee, or subscribe to Meta One. (If you opt for the former, you can use HSA or FSA finances to pay for it.)
Meta additionally announced new exercise and health features, including guided workouts for operating and cycling as fine as nutrition tracking and dietary advice. A new AI buying tool looks for reviews and cost drops on products you've identified, and lets you create purchases alongside your voice. In addition, Meta says that there are a presenter of new ways to customize your cognition alongside your Meta glasses, including personalized audio, tradition gestures, and new ocular AI. For example, you can now set a frequently used tool to the touchpad press-and-hold shortcut.
Going forward, your strolling directions have to be a bit additional "human," the business says, as directions can use landmarks alternatively of street names (e.g., "turn remaining at the supermarket" alternatively of "turn remaining at Broadway.) I'm not certain that volition be a helpful change, particularly if the street signs are additional apparent than the landmarks, but we'll have to see. Later this month, you'll additionally be capable to ask for biking and community transit directions using your sound alongside Meta Ray-Ban Display.
Gaming on Meta VR Glasses
Meta plainly has big plans for gaming on Meta VR glasses. Beat Saber is getting an update for Meta VR Glasses and Meta Quest. There's a new single-player campaign, "Flux," that lets you punch and piece notes alongside your hands, and a refreshed "Campaign" manner alongside new reward and progression systems. Meta says, in total, there are 75 games coming to Meta VR Glasses, including Cardmada, Dice Throne Digital, Dragon Grove, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies, Supernatural, Tetris Effect: Mixed Realities, and Two Point Hospital. These games, including Beat Saber, can be played alongside hand-tracking alone, so there's no need for controllers.
Meta's "Muse" updates
Meta released Muse, its agentic AI assistant, a few weeks ago. While the business took period to summarize its new bot, it additionally announced a fistful of new Muse updates. First, Muse is getting a adorable animation avatar, which Meta thinks volition create Muse's sound manner a bit additional interactive. Muse is additionally coming to AI glasses in the coming months, and volition get its own email address, so it can execute tasks on your behalf without using your individual email.
Meta says device use is now accessible on the Muse for Mac app, definition Muse can now use any app on your computer, equal if you depart your desk. (Give Muse authority complete your device at your own risk.) The business is additionally rolling out additional connectors for Muse, so it can activity alongside the following retailers and services: Walmart, Best Buy, American Eagle Outfitters, DICK'S Sporting Goods, Fanatics, Gap, Michael Kors, Sephora, Ulta, Wayfair, Shop Pay, and PayPal.
Finally, the business teased "Muse Charm," a Tamagotchi-like equipment for the agentic AI. This seems a bit additional of a novelty than a helpful tool, since I ideate you could accomplish the identical alongside the Muse app on your phone, but we'll study additional concerning this merchandise in the future.
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