{"id":7555,"date":"2026-09-24T01:45:32","date_gmt":"2026-09-24T01:45:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/silvybrand.com\/?p=7555"},"modified":"2026-09-24T01:45:32","modified_gmt":"2026-09-24T01:45:32","slug":"meta-connect-2026-everything-announced","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/silvybrand.com\/?p=7555","title":{"rendered":"Meta Connect 2026: The 7 biggest announcements"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Meta announced a slate of new wearables during its annual Meta Connect showcase on Wednesday. The star of the event was the new Meta VR Glasses, which pack virtual reality tech into a lightweight smart glasses-style frame with a tethered puck. Meta also announced new pairs of screen-free smart glasses, along with some new AI features and style and frame options.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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You can catch up on all the highlights from this year\u2019s Meta Connect below.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Photo by Brett Putman \/ The Verge<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Meta\u2019s latest wearable offers full virtual reality in a smart glasses-style form factor. Unlike a typical VR headset, the VR Glasses don\u2019t have any straps, and Meta says they\u2019re \u201cfive times lighter than Meta Quest 3\u201d at just 100g. Similar to Google\u2019s Project Aura<\/a>, the glasses are tethered to a pocket-sized puck with the compute hardware, battery, and storage, including a Qualcomm Snapdragon Reality Elite, 128GB of storage, and 12GB of RAM. The 5K micro OLED \u201cInfinite Display\u201d has 2412 x 2288 pixels per eye, with a refresh rate of up to 120Hz.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The Meta VR Glasses are launching in spring 2027 for $1,299, pricier than the Meta Ray-Ban Display but less expensive than the Apple Vision Pro, while offering similar features. Users can connect the glasses to a Mac or Windows laptop for use as a virtual external display, with an option for a virtual surface keyboard and touchpad.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The VR Glasses also have access to the full Meta Quest catalog of apps and games and support for Xbox Cloud Gaming. Meta says the glasses are \u201cthe first IMAX Enhanced certified VR device ever,\u201d and users will be able to watch \u201cimmersive live sports\u201d with them as well as 3D movies. They even have a \u201chologram\u201d feature that creates a \u201cphotorealistic digital version of your face\u201d for using in calls while wearing the glasses, reminiscent of the \u201cpersonas<\/a>\u201d on the Apple Vision Pro.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Meta is launching camera-free smart glasses<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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The highlight of the Ray-Ban Meta Audio is the feature they don\u2019t<\/em> have: built-in cameras. You can use them for things like listening to music, taking calls, or chatting with an AI assistant, but they can\u2019t take pictures or record video \u2014 features that have sparked privacy and harassment concerns<\/a> around Meta\u2019s other glasses.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Meta says the new audio-only glasses are also its \u201clightest, slimmest AI glasses yet,\u201d weighing just 43g. They offer up to 12 hours of battery life per charge, or 48 hours with the charging case. The Ray-Ban Meta Audio will launch on October 13th starting at $349 with 23 different color and lens combinations.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Refreshed Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3 arrive with battery and design upgrades<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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Meta launched an updated version of its main Ray-Ban Meta glasses, starting at $449. The Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3 offer up to nine hours of battery life, one hour more than the Gen 2. They also have \u201ca new customizable action button for instant access to Meta AI\u201d and a new six-mic array that Meta says \u201ccuts more than 90% of background noise.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3 has a slimmer design than the Gen 2 as well, with 27 color and lens combinations, including new Zena and Aviator frame styles. Notably, one thing that hasn\u2019t changed is the built-in LED light that indicates when the glasses are recording, which Meta rolled out a privacy fix<\/a> for last month.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Budget glasses launch along with new glasses styles<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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Alongside its pricier Ray-Ban glasses, Meta also announced some updates to its in-house line of glasses. It\u2019s launching a new lower-cost version of the Meta Adventurer, which will start at $249 for a basic design with black frames and gray lenses, launching October 23rd.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Meta is also introducing a new \u201cMix & Match\u201d program for customizing its glasses with different frames, lenses, and case colors. Plus, its EssilorLuxottica collection is getting two new styles, Capri and Nova, and the Kylie Jenner Starfire frames are getting a new ivory colorway. Meta\u2019s also launching a new collaboration collection with Lisa of Blackpink.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Meta Glasses are expanding to more countries starting today, too, including Singapore, South Korea, Mexico, and the United Arab Emirates, with availability in Brazil \u201ccoming soon.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Meta Ray-Ban Display is coming to more regions with some new features<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales \/ The Verge<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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A year after they originally launched<\/a>, the Meta Ray-Ban Display are coming to more regions. The glasses are on sale in the UK and Canada starting today, and they\u2019ll be available in France, Italy, and Germany starting on October 13th. Meta\u2019s also introducing online ordering for customers in those regions and the US.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Meta\u2019s launching a new Explore app for Display glasses where users will be able to \u201cbrowse and use a growing selection of experiences built for your glasses.\u201d The Meta Ray-Ban Display is also getting photo editing, an improved calendar, and mirrored phone notifications. Plus, Meta says the \u201chologram\u201d feature launching on its VR Glasses is rolling out on the Meta Ray-Ban Display \u201cin Early Access on WhatsApp to Meta Ray-Ban Display users in the US later this fall.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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After launching its new Muse assistant<\/a> earlier this month, Meta says it\u2019s \u201cworking on\u201d bringing the AI to its smart glasses. When it arrives on the glasses, Muse will be able to do things like guide your workouts, log meals, book appointments, and \u201chelp buy products you see.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Meta also announced some new features for Muse, including video calls with a customizable live avatar of the AI. Plus, Muse agents are getting their own email addresses for completing tasks and communicating with users.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Meta is making an AI \u2018charm\u2019<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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Mark Zuckerberg teased one last device, Muse Charm, a small AI gadget that houses the Muse agent and looks a little bit like a supersized Tamagotchi. More details will be shared \u201csoon,\u201d he said, but the product is supposed to ship in time for the holiday season.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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