Meta's surprise announcement comes as Silicon Valley searches for a successor to the smartphone, pouring billions into devices designed around AI assistants that can see, hear and respond to the world around them. From smart glasses and wearable pins to handheld gadgets, companies are betting AI will reshape how consumers interact with technology. It remains unclear which form factor will reach mainstream status.
Meta itself started with AI glasses, turning its EssilorLuxottica ESLX.PA Ray-Ban partnership into one of the first successes in that category.
On Wednesday, the social media giant also showed off its first virtual-reality device slim enough to pass for glasses, and a pair of camera-free smart glasses designed to ease the growing privacy backlash against AI devices that can take videos and pictures of people without consent.
The company also expanded its viral Muse AI assistant across its smart glasses lineup, adding new capabilities including computer use and integration with retailers and services such as Walmart WMT.O, Best Buy BBY.N and Gap GAP.N.
Meta said Muse would become the primary interface for its glasses, allowing users to shop, make appointments and complete tasks through voice commands.
Meta VR Glasses, priced at $1,299, aim to match the capabilities of bulkier and costlier rivals such as Apple's Vision Pro. The device weighs about as much as a deck of playing cards, a design made possible by moving the battery and the processor into a separate puck. They will launch in spring 2027.
Meta is betting the VR device, which looks like a pair of dark wraparound frames and responds to eye, voice, and hand gestures, can finally take to the mainstream a category long held back by high prices and heavy headsets that are uncomfortable to wear for hours.
"Bringing the weight down to around 100 grams is impressive and could improve the user experience," said Linda Sui, founder of Smart Analytics Group, a market research firm.
"However, the core use cases remain broadly similar to previous VR headsets. The higher price could also make it difficult to reach mainstream consumers."
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