Meta just showed off all the latest in wearable technology, virtual reality, augmented reality, and more at its annual Connect keynote. In addition to the long-awaited reveal of Meta’s updated Ray-Ban smart glasses, the company had some other exciting surprises to share, too.
Here’s a roundup of all the new tech and software updates announced by Meta.
Meta’s display-equipped smart specs make their debut
Rumors have swirled for months about Meta launching a pair of smart glasses with a display, and now they’re finally here. The glasses, dubbed the Meta Ray-Ban Display, feature a full-color, high-res screen in the right lens that you can use to view messages, take video calls, read live captions, see walking directions, and preview the pictures you’re about to take with the built-in 12-megapixel camera.
You control the display with a wristband, allowing you to scroll, click, and, eventually, write out messages, using different gestures. The glasses offer up to six hours of “mixed-use” battery life, or up to 30 hours with the collapsible charging case.
The Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses start at $799, with both the wristband and glasses coming in black or brown. The glasses will be available in the US starting September 30th at Best Buy, LensCrafters, and Ray-Ban stores.
The next-gen Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses have longer battery life
Meta is launching a new version of its popular Ray-Ban smart glasses with an upgraded eight-hour battery life that nearly doubles that of the original model. The second-gen smart glasses still come with a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera, but they now support 3K video capture and allow wearers to record videos up to 60 frames per second.
Meta upgraded the charging case that comes included with the glasses, too, as it now offers an extra 48 hours of charging, up from 36 hours. There’s also a new “conversation focus” feature coming to the Ray-Ban Meta and the Oakley Meta HSTN glasses that amplifies the sound of the person speaking to you in noisy areas.
The Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) glasses will start at $379 and are available now in the familiar Wayfarer, Skyler, and Headliner styles.
New athlete-focused AI glasses integrate with Garmin and Strava
Meta is partnering with Oakley to launch a new pair of smart glasses designed for “high-intensity sports.” The Oakley Meta Vanguard feature a wraparound design, an IP67 rating for water and dust resistance, along with integrations with fitness apps like Garmin and Strava, allowing you to ask Meta AI about your fitness data and stats.
Additionally, the Vanguard glasses feature a 12MP, 122-degree camera on the nose bridge, with the ability to record videos in up to 3K resolution, and they support new capture modes, like slow-motion, time-lapse, and hyperlapse, which are coming to Meta’s other AI glasses as well. Some other standout features include upgraded speakers and up to nine hours of battery life.
The Oakley Meta Vanguard glasses cost $499 and will come in four frame and lens color combinations when they launch on October 21st. Preorders are available now.
Quest headsets can now put real spaces into VR
Meta’s new Hyperscape feature allows users wearing a Quest 3 or Quest 3S headset to scan their surroundings and transform them into a digital space. The company first showed off a demo of the feature at Meta Connect last year, but now users can try out a beta using the Hyperscape Capture app.
A new entertainment hub for Quest headsets
Meta is putting a new Horizon TV entertainment hub inside Quest headsets. There, you’ll find all of the streaming apps available on Quest headsets, including Prime Video, Peacock, Twitch, and YouTube. Meta announced today that Disney Plus, ESPN, and Hulu are also launching apps on the platform.
The Horizon TV hub supports Dolby Atmos surround sound, and Meta plans on adding Dolby Vision later this year. Some movies you watch through Horizon TV, like M3GAN and The Black Phone, will also come with “immersive special effects” that you can only see inside Quest headsets.
The engine powering the metaverse gets a boost
Meta revealed that its Horizon Engine “powers better graphics, faster performance, and more advanced worlds.” The engine is capable of powering Meta’s new Hyperscape feature, as well as allowing for larger capacities in virtual worlds. Meta also plans on upgrading its Horizon Studio with an agentic AI assistant that helps “stitch” together its existing AI tools that help people make virtual worlds.
