Meta's Connect 2026 put glasses first and pushed its next VR device to 2027. What was announced, and what it costs

Meta’s annual Connect conference has become the closest thing the consumer extended-reality industry has to a launch calendar. This year’s edition confirmed what shipment data had already suggested: the company’s priority is glasses that look like glasses, with virtual reality now one product line among several rather than the center of the strategy.

Meta announced a cheaper audio-only pair of glasses, a third generation of its camera glasses at a higher price, a hearing-assistance feature, broader availability for its display glasses and a lightweight VR device that will not ship until spring 2027. Here is what each product is, what it costs and what it signals, based on Meta’s own announcement and coverage by Engadget and other technology outlets.

The products

VR glasses, formerly Project Phoenix. The headline hardware is a lightweight VR device Meta calls VR glasses, priced at $1,299.99 and scheduled to go on sale in spring 2027, according to VR.org’s summary of the announcements. Coverage describes a design that keeps the part on the face light, about 100 grams by VR.org’s account, by moving computing to a separate puck connected by a tether. Reports describe micro-OLED displays and a positioning around home cinema and live sports. No preorders were open at the time of the announcement.

Ray-Ban Meta Audio. A new pair with no camera at all, starting at $349, which VR.org and Geeky Gadgets listed as shipping October 13. Coverage reports a weight of about 43 grams and battery life of up to 12 hours. Dropping the camera removes the feature most often cited in privacy concerns about smart glasses, and lowers the price.

Ray-Ban Meta, third generation. The camera glasses that made Meta the market leader get a refresh starting at $449, up from $379 for the previous generation, according to coverage. Reported changes include a slimmer design, an added hour of battery, a six-microphone array and an action button that triggers Meta’s AI assistant.

Ray-Ban Display. Meta’s glasses with a small in-lens display, introduced last year, received software updates and wider availability rather than a new model. VR.org reported expansion to five new countries.

A hearing feature with a medical claim

The announcement with the broadest potential reach may be a software feature. Meta described a hearing-assistance capability for adults 18 and older with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss as FDA-cleared software coming to supported AI glasses. In effect, glasses with microphones and open-ear speakers would amplify and process nearby sound for the wearer.

Readers should be precise about what that means. An FDA clearance means the agency has allowed the software to be marketed for a defined use. It is not a substitute for a hearing evaluation, and people with significant or sudden hearing loss should see a clinician. Pricing and availability details varied across coverage, so buyers should check Meta’s own terms for supported models and costs.

AI as the operating system

Meta also said it is working to bring its Muse AI agent directly to its glasses, according to Engadget’s summary. The direction matches the rest of the line-up: voice and AI are becoming the main interface, with displays as an optional layer. For the gaming audience, Meta said Beat Saber, one of the best-known VR titles, will receive its largest update in spring 2027.

Why the line-up looks like this

IDC’s data for the second quarter of 2026 provides the context. Glasses accounted for nearly 85% of XR shipments, headsets for 15.4%, and Meta for 68.7% of the market. A product strategy that adds an audio-only pair below the camera glasses, and treats VR as a premium device for home entertainment, fits that picture.

The pricing tells the same story. At $349, the audio pair competes with premium headphones and sunglasses rather than with headsets. At $1,299.99, the VR glasses sit in the range of high-end mixed reality devices and are aimed at a smaller audience willing to pay for immersion.

What it means for buyers

• If you want hands-free audio and an assistant, the camera-free model is the cheapest way into Meta’s glasses and avoids camera etiquette questions at work and in public.
• If you want photos and video, the third-generation camera glasses are the relevant product, at a higher price than before.
• If you are waiting for VR glasses, there is nothing to buy yet. Specifications and reviews will matter more than the announcement.
• If you have hearing concerns, treat the hearing feature as a convenience tool and get a professional assessment first.

What it means for businesses

For businesses, the practical issues are policy and privacy more than purchase. Camera glasses in a workplace raise questions about recording customers, patients or confidential material, and employers may need rules covering when they can be worn. The camera-free model may make those decisions easier.

For developers, the message is to build for voice and audio first, and for small displays next. A VR device arriving in 2027 will matter for entertainment, but the largest installed base in the category is now on people’s faces, not on their desks.

Meta’s own announcement post lists the full set of products and features, and independent reviews of the shipping products will follow over the coming weeks.