Meta Connect 2025: A Preview of New Smart Glasses, AI, and Metaverse Updates
Meta Connect, the company’s annual event focused on AR, VR, AI, and the metaverse, is set to begin. This year’s event features a new format, with CEO Mark Zuckerberg delivering an evening keynote, followed by a developer keynote the next morning. The event is expected to be significant, with announcements centered on new smart glasses and advancements in AI.
The most anticipated reveal is expected to be Meta’s next-generation smart glasses. These new frames, reportedly codenamed Hypernova, will be the company’s first consumer-ready glasses to feature a display. However, they are not a full augmented reality experience like the advanced Orion prototype. Instead, the small display will show information like notifications and photo previews. The glasses will also be paired with a dedicated wristband that enables control through hand gestures.
Reports suggest the glasses will carry a price tag of around $800 and will be sold under the Ray-Ban brand, positioning them as a higher-end product. A promotional video that surfaced online showed clear-framed glasses with a heads-up display and the accompanying wristband. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has suggested the market share for these display-equipped glasses will be negligible.
Alongside the new display glasses, Meta is also expected to announce updated non-display models. This includes a new version of Oakley sunglasses, based on the Sphaera design, which features a single camera. New versions of the standard Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses are also anticipated. Furthermore, Meta may open its smart glasses platform to more third-party developers, which could significantly expand the functionality of the existing eyewear.
Artificial intelligence will be another major theme. With Meta AI now boasting a billion monthly users, new features for the assistant are expected to be showcased, both within Meta’s apps and on its smart glasses. The company is also reportedly working on new non-English speaking, character-driven AI chatbots for its platforms. Zuckerberg may also elaborate on his ambitious and expensive vision for achieving AI superintelligence, a project that has recently involved a major reorganization of Meta’s AI teams and high-profile hiring.
While the metaverse has taken a backseat to AI recently, some VR-related news is still expected. Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth has teased metaverse software updates for Horizon Worlds. The company recently previewed AI-powered non-player characters for the metaverse, and more details on how generative AI will shape these virtual spaces are likely.
Although no new Quest headset is expected, updates on third-party VR hardware from partners like ASUS and Lenovo, which will run on Meta’s Horizon OS, could be provided. There is also speculation about a possible demonstration of a more basic version of Meta’s advanced Codec Avatars, which could potentially run on current Quest hardware or even be integrated into video calls on WhatsApp and Messenger.
Meta Connect 2025 is shaping up to be a key event for showcasing the company’s hardware ambitions with its first display-equipped smart glasses and its continued heavy investment in artificial intelligence.
