Meta's highly anticipated Connect 2025 conference is just around the corner, promising a wave of exciting new announcements. The focus this year appears to be firmly on advancements in smart glasses and artificial intelligence, with hints of further metaverse integration. CEO Mark Zuckerberg's keynote address, scheduled for Wednesday at 8 PM ET / 5 PM PT, will undoubtedly be a highlight.
Leaked information suggests Meta is poised to unveil groundbreaking new smart glasses. These glasses, featuring a small display in the right lens, boast a unique control mechanism: hand gestures interpreted via a wristband employing surface electromyography (sEMG) technology. This innovative technology, acquired through Meta's 2019 purchase of CTRL-Labs, promises a revolutionary way to interact with devices. While the display's field of view is reportedly limited, providing only small pieces of information, the technology itself represents a significant leap forward in wearable tech.
The expected price point of around $800 might raise eyebrows, and early reports suggest a bulkier design compared to previous Meta glasses. However, a leaked video seems to confirm the imminent launch, showing glasses branded “Meta | Ray-Ban” and “Display.”
Building on the success of the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses – with over 2 million units sold – Meta is rumored to be unveiling a third generation of these popular specs. Improvements could include features seen in this year's Oakley Meta HSTN Limited Edition, such as enhanced 3K video resolution and doubled battery life. Additionally, the leaked video showcased new wraparound “Sphaera” Oakleys featuring a nose bridge camera, hinting at another exciting product launch.
While a new Quest VR headset isn't anticipated this year, Meta's continued focus on VR/AR is clear. Rumors suggest the company is actively developing an ultra-light headset with compute offloaded to a separate processing unit, slated for release in 2026. Furthermore, Meta's licensing of its Horizon OS to hardware manufacturers like Lenovo and Asus could lead to interesting collaborations and new VR headset releases at Connect.
AI's prominence in the tech world isn't lost on Meta. Expect to see several AI-related announcements, including new features integrated into existing and upcoming hardware. The recent relaunch of the smart glasses companion app as a standalone Meta AI app, allowing users to browse AI-generated content, provides a strong indication of this direction. The blending of AI with existing smart glasses technology, through software upgrades, is also highly probable.
Meta's commitment to the metaverse will likely be addressed in Zuckerberg's presentation, though the specific details remain shrouded in mystery. Connect 2025 promises a compelling blend of hardware innovations, AI integrations, and further explorations of the metaverse, making it an event tech enthusiasts won't want to miss.
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Originally published at: https://www.theverge.com/news/777541/meta-connect-2025-what-to-expect
