Get ready for a new era of smart glasses, as Meta Connect 2025 is officially kicking off today (September 17) at 5 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. ET / 1 a.m. BST, and we're in for quite the show.
Kicking off with a keynote from CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Meta's annual showcase will put a spotlight on AI glasses this time around, and it already looks like we'll get a peek at the leaked Ray-Ban Meta Display smart glasses, the new Oakley Meta Sphaera glasses and more. We may even see an all-new VR headset — even if it isn't the anticipated Meta Quest 4.
In fact, as per the Meta Connect 2025 schedule, it's now guaranteed that we'll see major product announcements at the show. Along with its "latest line of new products and updates," Zuckerberg will be sharing the "latest on AI glasses" and "Meta's vision for artificial intelligence and the metaverse."
There's more to come, as the developer keynote on Thursday, September 18 at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. BST will also deliver plenty of announcements about the "future of glasses with contextual AI" and the "future of computing."
We'll be on the ground covering everything that will be revealed, and get hands-on with all the smart glasses set to arrive. For all the latest updates in the lead-up to Meta Connect 2025, how to watch the big keynote and last-minute rumors, I'll be delving into it all right here.
Meta Connect 2025 will take place from Wednesday, September 17, to Thursday, September 18, with keynotes and developer sessions throughout the showcase. However, for the biggest announcements from Mark Zuckerberg, you'll want to watch the Connect Keynote on Day 1 at 5 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. ET / 1 a.m. BST.
To tune into the Connect Keynote, you can catch the livestream on Facebook or through Meta Horizon on Quest headsets. As with last year's event, the livestream should be available via Meta Developers YouTube channel.
Of course, you can follow all the build-up and announcements as they happen right here in our live blog, so stay tuned!
Meta Connect 2025: What to expect
- Ray-Ban Meta Display glasses: The long-rumored next-gen smart glasses, also known as Meta "Hypernova", are expected to be announced. Following Meta's Project Orion, these smart specs are tipped to combine AI and AR by adding a waveguide display directly on one lens, along with a "Ceres" sEMG wristband.
- Oakley Meta Sphaera glasses: The Oakley Meta HSTN smart glasses may be getting an all-new style, rumored to be the Oakley Meta Sphaera glasses. These are looking to be geared towards a more active lifestyle.
- Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3: Next-gen Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses are also predicted to drop, rumored to come in all-new designs (in two styles), an upgraded vision of multi-modal Meta AI and even longer battery life.
- Asus ROG Tarius VR Headset: While a Meta Quest 4 isn't looking likely, what could arrive instead is an Asus ROG VR headset equipped with Horizon OS. Meta and Asus' partnership was announced last year, and we could see the "all-new performance gaming headset" finally make an appearance.
- The future of computing: During Connect, Meta will show off the "future of glasses with contextual AI," and we expect to see a bundle of new apps that can be used in smart glasses and beyond.
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We are live at Meta Connect!
Tom's Guide's US EiC, Mike Prospero (pictured above), and Computing Editor, Alex Wawro, are on-site checking out the event.
They'll provide us with any hands-on demos and other insights from the event, so you'll definitely want to keep checking this live blog for that.
Potentially improved battery life
We'll hopefully get better battery life on the Ray-Ban 3 Smart Glasses.
With the latest Snapdragon AR1+ chip from Qualcomm, along with its joint venture with VoxelSensors that provides up to 10x power savings with lower latency using XR apps in smart glasses and advancing Physical AI, this could be possible in the Ray-Ban Meta 3 glasses.
Speaking of, with the upgraded battery life in the Oakley smart specs, taking it from the Ray-Bans' six hours to eight hours, that's a good sign we'll be seeing better battery life, too. With an all-new chip powered by the aforementioned Snapdragon, we hope to see this blow way past this.
Don't miss the Developer keynote
While Mark Zuckerberg's keynote at Meta Connect 2025 will kick off the show, there's another keynote happening the next day, and it's sure to deliver new insights into the software and apps coming to Meta's smart glasses, and possibly on the VR side, too.
The Developer Keynote is taking place on Thursday, September 18 at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. BST, and states that it will show Meta's latest tech, which will be "creating opportunities for developers to build new experiences for people." So, expect a deeper dive into everything announced during Zuckerberg's main keynote.
A little later at 10:45 a.m. PT / 1:45 p.m. ET / 6:45 p.m. BST, there will also be a "Spotlight conversation" on the future of computing, which will talk about the "future of glasses with contextual AI, and how Meta is poised to transform the future of computing." We'll keep you posted on the latest!
Meta Horizon OS always gets updates on Quest 3 and 3S throughout the year, but the Connect 2025 event should give us a look at further updates to come.
When data mining through the most recent Public Test of Meta’s Horizon OS, UploadVR found a few features that could be coming to Quest headsets. That includes new home environments to hang out in with other people, familiar areas that have been rebuilt from the ground up, the option to pin 2D apps for all to see and a new social hub for interacting with others.
For those who spend time using Meta Quest's social features, this will be a handy update, but there may be more announced during the keynote for all things Meta Quest (if there's time after all the smart glasses announcements), and I'm hoping for some gaming news, too.
The smart specs to beat...
Recently, our own Jason England got to try Snap OS 2.0, which will run on the upcoming Snap Spectacles for consumers next year, and it's a true look at AR and AI coming hand-in-hand in smart glasses. With its apps like Spatial Tips that use multimodal AI to understand what it sees and give you advice around it, and its Translation Lens for live translation on display, it's an impressive feat.
Now, with the rumored Ray-Ban Meta Display smart glasses, Meta may beat Snapchat to the punch. As seen in the leaked video, Meta's smart specs also include Live Translation and Meta AI to see what you see and understand what's in front of you.
If they're revealed during the Meta Connect 2025 event, there's a chance they will launch before the end of 2025. In any case, we'll have to see exactly what these next-gen smart specs from Meta deliver.
There have been rumors that the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses will also be getting an update, but it's also looking like this big update will actually be the Meta Hypernova glasses that have been rumored. That said, perhaps these specs could be getting an update.
The Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3 AI glasses are expected to be announced, with CNBC stating that a "third generation of its voice-only smart glasses with Luxottica" lenses are set to arrive. That, and a group named XR Research Institute (via UploadVR) claimed two models will be on the way, including sunglasses codenamed "Aperol" and prescription eyewear called "Bellini."
These "Aperol" and "Bellini" style options (above) don't appear to be shown in the leaked video, but that doesn't mean an updated version of the Ray-Ban Meta glasses aren't coming.
We've also heard that Meta will deliver a Live AI upgrade, allowing the smart spec's AI to "see what its user does and respond in real-time, for hours," as per The Information. That, and it may have the ability to recognize faces thanks to this always-on AI, as reported by UploadVR. This is apparently known as "super sensing," allowing users to recall past faces and items, like finding out where you left your wallet.
Along with these "Ray-Ban Meta Display" glasses, there's reason to believe there may be another update to the usual Ray-Ban Meta glasses.
Wait, is Valve preparing an announcement?
As it turns out, Valve may be preparing for a big announcement today. As in, big VR headset news, and if the company does, it would be a very timely announcement to go along with Meta Connect 2025.
As reported, hints that Valve is preparing to unveil its rumored "Steam Frame" VR headset (also known as Valve Deckard) are swirling, as Reddit users on r/GamingLeaksAndRumors have pointed out that a possible announcement may happen today (September 17).
This is due to multiple VR YouTubers making their way to Seattle, which is close to Valve headquarters in Bellevue. This includes notable VR YouTuber Nathie posting on X about being in Seattle, Habie147 stating in a video that there is a "special report incoming," and MRTV heading to see a "mystery VR headset soon."
And would you looks at that? This wouldn't be the first time Valve dropped news during a Meta (or Facebook) showcase. As pointed out in the Reddit thread, the Valve Index was officially announced on April 30, 2019, just when Facebook's F8 2019 developer conference took place.
We're gearing up for a jam-packed day of announcements, and it may not just be from Meta. We'll be here to keep you in the know!
Don't forget the wristband!
Aside from likely using the same touchpad on the side of the smart glasses like the Ray Ban Metas, allowing you to tap or swipe to control the device, a key feature for the leaked Ray-Ban Meta Display specs looks to be the sEMG wristband.
As shown in the video, it appears users will be able to use a finger to type on a virtual keyboard to reply to a message, no matter the surface. That's an amazing step forward! And that means the wristband will allow for hand movements to be used as accurate controls for the glasses.
Is it essential to wear this wristband to use the glasses? We're sure to find out soon. But interestingly, if Meta opts to use this instead of 6DoF (six degrees of freedom) tracking, it would take a load off the processing power required, and stop users from needing to put their hand in front of the camera at all times (phew).
We know the seemingly leaked "Ray-Ban Meta Display" smart glasses could be the rumored "Hypernova" smart specs, bundled with a waveguide display and wristband, but what can be done on these all-new AI glasses?
Well, not completely unlike the Rokid AI/AR smart glasses we tried or even the Even Realities G1 specs, these upgraded Ray-Bans will be able to show map navigation, recipe options, live translation and even texts that can be replied to via the sEMG wristband right on the lens.
This takes the AR capabilities in the smart glasses to a new level, though, seeing how it incorporates Meta AI visually. Plus, from what's shown in the video leak, you're getting full-color visuals here with images shown, too.
There's still way more to find out, but we could see dedicated apps coming with the glasses, almost like a lightweight version of Meta Horizon. We may also get a simplistic six-app grid that users can interact with using the wristband.
The one thing Meta needs to win the smart glasses race...
Despite what the seemingly leaked Ray-Ban Meta Display smart glasses will offer, including a built-in display with a visual overlay bundled with Meta AI smarts and a sEMG wristband, there's still one thing Meta needs to nail: making glasses that look cool to wear.
The design is the one thing Meta needs to win the smart glasses race, and the seen waveguide display in the leaked video is a good way to deliver “actual” augmented reality in a casual, everyday pair of glasses.
But as our own Jason England notes, if the leaked Ray-Ban Meta Display glasses are anything to go by, it's looking like thick rims are definitely the way to do it right at the moment. That's going to be a challenge for wearable tech that is so visible on your face, where style absolutely matters. If you don't mind thick frames, though, then this won't be a massive obstacle to get over.
But if Meta and Ray-Ban pull off a pair of stylish smart glasses that include a massive leap in AR, we have an impressive pair of specs on our hands. We'll get a better look once Zuckerberg spills the beans.
Also thanks to the leaked video, the Oakley Meta HSTN smart glasses may finally get more styles. It appears like a more sporty option with a wrap-around design, geared towards a more active lifestyle.
Rumored to be the Oakley Meta Sphaera glasses, it's leaning towards the design of the Oakley Stunt Devil, so I expect to see these being worn for sports, like skiing or cycling.
Moreover, the video also shows a more transparent design, like the transparent Ray-Ban Meta. We'll see more of what's to come, but at the very least, it's looking like more design options!
No Meta Quest 4? Asus may have the answer
All signs are pointing to the Meta Quest 4 being a no-show, seeing as it's been widely reported that it may arrive in 2027 instead. But there still may be a chance of a VR headset reveal, and the time is ripe for it to come from Asus.
Last year, Meta announced a partnership with Asus ROG to develop a "performance gaming headset." Leaks have stated that this Asus ROG VR headset, codenamed "Tarius," will be the first third-party headset to ship with Meta Horizon OS. If Meta doesn't have a VR headset to reveal, perhaps Asus will have the answer instead.
It's already looking to be a premium headset, with notable tipster Luna on X stating it will feature eye-tracking and face-tracking, with either QD-LCD or micro-OLED displays.
Of course, we won't know for sure until the event, but I'm hoping Meta still has a VR headset up its sleeve after all its smart glasses announcements — even if it isn't from Meta itself.
New Meta smartglasses with display leaked via an unlisted video on their own YouTube channelAlong with their EMG wristband, and other smartglass models they plan to show off this week at Meta Connect pic.twitter.com/8tTlmaeQ0aSeptember 15, 2025
Thanks to an unlisted YouTube video from Meta themselves, we have a look at what looks to be called the "Ray-Ban Meta Display" glasses. While it's been removed, reliable leaker SadlyitsBradley was able to share it.
In the video, which appears to be an ad for the latest smart glasses coming, several specs were shown off, including what looks to be the Oakley Meta Sphaera glasses and possibly next-gen Ray-Ban Meta glasses. More importantly, we got a look at the Ray-Ban Meta Display smart glasses.
With the small display that appears on the right lens, showing navigation, recipe instructions and even a way to type using the shown sEMG wristband, this is looking to be the "Hypernova" smart glasses that's been rumored.
With Zuckerberg showing the latest in AI glasses, we're sure to see more of what the glasses can do!
What could Meta announce?
Based on rumors and the leaked ad, we have some idea of what devices Meta should announce tomorrow.
It includes at least three different smart glasses, such as Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3 specs, new Oakley Meta Sphaera sports glasses and the Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses with a display in one lens.
Coupled with the Display frames should be the sEMG wristband, which will offer some gesture controls. Those were all seemingly confirmed by the leaked ad.
What we don't know is what kind of presence headsets will have at Connect. At the very least, we may see the Asus ROG "Tairus" headset, as the Meta Quest 4 is looking to be a no-show.
For Meta, this should be a surprisingly packed Connect.
- Ray-Ban Meta generation 3 glasses
- Oakley Meta Sphaera glasses
- Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses
- The sEMG wristband
- Asus ROG Tairus headset
And we're back! Meta Connect 2025 is kicking off today (September 17) at 5 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. ET / 1 a.m. BST, and we'll finally hear from Mark Zuckerberg about the latest smart glasses (and possibly more) during the keynote.
There's still a while to go, but to get prepped to watch it, you can catch the livestream over on Facebook or through Meta Horizon on Quest headsets. While there isn't a YouTube stream in place yet, we'll give you a heads up on when it will happen.
So, what's coming? We got a look at the Ray-Ban Meta Display glasses (featuring the sEMG wristband), along with the newly styled Oakley Meta Sphaera glasses and possibly the next-gen Ray-Ban Meta glasses. Will there be more to come? I'm hoping to see the promised Asus ROG "Tarius" VR headset for "high performance," but it could just be a smart specs show.
Follow along for all the latest updates and last-minute rumors right here!
