Meta Connect 2025: Ray-Bans 2, Hypernova & Oakley Smart Glabs Revealed
▼ Summary
– Meta Connect 2025 is showcasing new AI-driven wearable hardware, including updated smart glasses and a neural wristband.
– The Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses feature a waveguide display for projecting translations, navigation, and other contextual information.
– A new Meta Neural Band wristband enables gesture controls for interacting with digital displays through hand movements.
– Meta announced second-generation Ray-Ban smartglasses with improved battery life, 3K video recording, and new color options.
– Meta is expanding its partnership with Oakley to release sports-focused smart glasses called Meta Oakley Vanguard, featuring a centered camera and Strava integration.
The annual Meta Connect event has officially begun, showcasing the company’s latest advancements in AI-powered wearable technology. This year’s conference places a strong emphasis on practical, stylish devices designed for everyday use, including significant upgrades to smart glasses and the introduction of new interactive accessories.
Viewers can catch the main keynote featuring Mark Zuckerberg on Wednesday, September 17, starting at 5:00 PM Pacific Time. A developer-focused presentation will follow on Thursday morning at 10:00 AM Pacific. While attendance is limited to invited guests, the event will be streamed live on Meta’s official website, Facebook Live, and YouTube. Quest headset owners can also experience the event in virtual reality through Horizon Worlds.
One of the most anticipated announcements is the Meta Ray-Ban Display, a new model equipped with a waveguide display that projects useful information like translations, navigation cues, and messages directly into the user’s field of vision. These glasses are designed to work alongside the Meta Neural Band, a wristband that interprets muscle signals to enable gesture-based controls.
Alongside the Display model, Meta introduced the second-generation Meta Ray-Ban 2, which retains the familiar design of its predecessor while offering meaningful upgrades. Key improvements include extended battery life, now supporting up to six hours of continuous streaming, and the ability to record video in 3K resolution. New color options, such as transparent blue, are also available.
In collaboration with Oakley, Meta unveiled the Meta Oakley Vanguard, a sports-oriented pair of smart glasses. Built for athletes, these glasses feature a centered 12MP camera capable of recording 3K video, integration with fitness app Strava for real-time audio feedback, and an IP67 water resistance rating. They will retail starting at $499.
Another exciting development is the Asus ROG Tarius VR headset, a gaming-focused device developed in partnership with Asus. While details remain limited, it represents a new direction in dedicated gaming hardware within Meta’s ecosystem.
During a live demonstration, Zuckerberg showcased the Neural Band’s ability to control digital interfaces through gestures, though the event wasn’t without hiccups, a planned video call demo failed due to technical issues. Still, simpler actions, like adjusting Spotify volume with a turning motion, worked smoothly.
Existing Ray-Ban owners also received good news: a new Audio Boost feature will be rolled out via software update, amplifying real-world conversations to assist users in noisy environments.
Earlier leaks suggested Meta might also reveal a high-end model codenamed Hypernova, rumored to include a monocular display and a price tag reaching up to $1,400. Though not explicitly confirmed, the Display model appears to align closely with these reports.
The Neural Band, previously known under the codename Ceres, uses sEMG sensors to detect electrical signals from wrist movements, translating them into commands like scrolling, tapping, or pinching. Haptic feedback provides tactile confirmation of inputs.
With these releases, Meta continues to push the boundaries of wearable AI, blending fashion, function, and futuristic interaction in devices meant to be worn all day.
(Source: ZDNET)
