What to expect at Meta Connect 2026: new AI glasses and a mixed reality headset
Meta holds its Connect keynote on September 23, where CEO Mark Zuckerberg is expected to unveil new smart glasses, a rumored mixed reality headset, and AI updates, followed by developer sessions the next day.
Meta's biggest event of the year, Connect, takes place on September 23, with CEO Mark Zuckerberg delivering the keynote at 7PM ET. A developer state of the union and additional sessions will follow the next day.
New smart glasses
Meta is reportedly developing camera-free glasses in two styles, equipped with extra microphones for interacting with its AI assistant. Dropping the cameras could make the frames slimmer and more like ordinary glasses, while also addressing privacy concerns and backlash over misuse of its current camera-equipped glasses. Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth recently said the company would have "more to say" on that issue at Connect. A new Ray-Ban Meta generation or an updated Meta Ray-Ban Display with displays in both lenses are also possible announcements.
'Phoenix' mixed reality headset
A long-rumored mixed reality headset codenamed "Phoenix" appears set for its official debut. Images that surfaced in a recent HorizonOS update show a thin, tethered device connected to a separate puck, reportedly relying on hand and eye tracking instead of a controller. It's expected to be among the first devices built around Qualcomm's new Snapdragon Reality Elite chip, designed for slimmer mixed reality form factors.
AI and metaverse updates
Meta is likely to share more about its AI agent Muse, including planned support for smart glasses, and may showcase new third-party apps for its glasses ecosystem. Updates on holographic avatars, first shown two years ago with the Orion prototype, are also possible, with reports suggesting an avatar of Meta's CTO could even appear during the keynote itself.
