MENLO PARK — Marking a major leap forward in wearable artificial intelligence and spatial computing, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg hosted the keynote address at Meta Connect 2026, revealing a groundbreaking ecosystem of hardware products. Headlined by the ultra-lightweight Meta VR Glasses, the pocket-sized Muse Charm, and an expanded suite of AI-powered smart glasses, Meta's latest announcements aim to seamlessly blend personal superintelligence into daily life.
Meta VR Glasses: A Lightweight Leap in Spatial Computing
Stepping away from traditional bulky headsets, Meta introduced its next-generation Meta VR Glasses. Weighing in at roughly 100 grams—about five times lighter than the Meta Quest 3 and comparable to a deck of cards—the device distributes computing power and its battery to a pocket-sized external "puck" connected via tether.
Equipped with a 5K micro-OLED Infinite Display, the glasses eliminate the need for physical controllers, relying instead on intuitive eye-tracking cameras and hand gestures. Users can project multi-panel virtual workspaces, turn any flat surface into a virtual keyboard, or enjoy a cinematic experience featuring Dolby Vision and spatial audio. Scheduled for a spring 2027 release, the Meta VR Glasses will retail at $1,299.99.
Muse Charm: The Pocket-Sized AI Companion
In a surprise holiday season preview, Zuckerberg showcased the Muse Charm. Designed as a compact, keychain-like device, the Charm packs the full conversational capabilities of Meta’s advanced personal AI agent, Muse, into a portable form factor. Built to operate without a smartphone or glasses, it allows users to execute tasks, ask contextual questions, and chat via a state-of-the-art real-time voice model on the go. It is slated to ship in December.
Ray-Ban Meta Audio and Gen 3 Upgrades
Meta also expanded its booming smart-glasses portfolio by introducing its first-ever camera-free models. The Ray-Ban Meta Audio glasses ditch the camera entirely to alleviate privacy concerns while providing open-ear audio, seamless phone calls, and direct AI conversational access. Weighing just 43 grams with up to 12 hours of battery life, they will launch in October starting at $349.
Simultaneously, the third-generation Ray-Ban Meta glasses arrived with a slimmer frame, a 12MP camera supporting 3K Ultra HD video, Dolby Atmos 360-degree spatial audio capture, and an introductory price of $449. Meta announced that its total ecosystem across Ray-Ban, Oakley, and Meta-branded frames will surpass 100 diverse style options by the end of 2026.
Furthermore, Meta introduced an FDA-cleared hearing enhancement software feature for its supported AI glasses, engineered to assist adults experiencing mild-to-moderate hearing loss directly from home without a prescription.
With these announcements, Meta continues to cement its transition from software giant to a dominant leader in ambient computing and AI hardware.
