Meta held its annual flagship event, Meta Connect 2026, on Wednesday, September 23 at its Menlo Park headquarters in California, unveiling a sweeping lineup of next-generation AI glasses, new software capabilities, and its first-ever audio-only glasses. The announcements signal a significant expansion of Meta’s wearable ecosystem, with over 100 glasses options planned across Ray-Ban, Oakley, and Meta Glasses by the end of the year.
Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3: Slimmer Design, Longer Battery, Better Camera
The centrepiece of the hardware announcements is the Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3, which Meta describes as the world’s best-selling AI glasses. The updated model is slimmer and lighter than its predecessor, features a customisable action button for instant access to Meta AI, and comes in 27 colour and lens combinations including Black, Havana, and select seasonal colours. Two new styles — the Zena and the Aviator — join the existing Wayfarer in the lineup.
Key hardware upgrades include:
- Battery life: Up to nine hours, one hour more than Gen 2
- Camera: 12MP with 3K Ultra HD video capability
- Audio: New six-microphone array delivering over 90 percent reduction in background noise for clearer calls and voice commands in crowded environments
- Fit: Adjustable temple tips for a more personalised fit
- Privacy indicator: Built-in LED light that alerts those nearby when the user is recording or taking photos
The Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3 is available starting today at $449 in the US. An India launch has been confirmed, with pricing yet to be announced.
Ray-Ban Meta Audio: Meta’s First Camera-Free AI Glasses
One of the most distinctive launches at Connect 2026 was the Ray-Ban Meta Audio, Meta’s first audio-only AI glasses. Designed for all-day comfort, the glasses weigh just 43 grams and feature professionally adjustable temple tips, swappable nose pads, and overextension hinges. Despite carrying no camera, the device still integrates Meta’s AI assistant for hands-free interaction.
Audio performance is a core focus, with the glasses delivering:
- Hands-free music and podcast playback
- Calls with voice clarity described as exceeding standard earbuds
- Up to 12 hours of battery life on a single charge
- Up to 48 hours total with the included charging case
Ray-Ban Meta Audio comes in 23 colour and lens combinations across two new styles — Clubmaster and Burbank — both compatible with a range of optical prescriptions. The glasses ship on October 13 and are available for pre-order today starting at $349 in the US. An India launch date has not yet been confirmed.
Muse AI: A Personal Agent Built Into Your Glasses
Meta introduced Muse, its personal AI agent, as a major software feature coming to Meta AI glasses. Muse is powered by Meta’s Muse Spark model — the company’s most capable model for agentic tasks — and runs on Muse Secure VM, which allows it to interact with websites and connected services on behalf of the user.
Practical tasks Muse can handle include:
- Sending emails and filling out forms
- Booking travel and making purchases
- Logging meals and providing nutrition insights
- Booking appointments and checking flight prices
- Tracking items while a user is driving, cooking, or exercising
Users activate Muse simply by saying its name and stating their request. It then works in the background and reports back when the task is complete — all without requiring the user to reach for a phone. Meta positions Muse as the first major product expression of its broader personal superintelligence vision, with plans to eventually bring it across WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, Messenger, and AI glasses. Muse AI is currently available only to users in the United States.
New Features: Dolby Atmos, Hearing Enhancement, and Hologram Calls
Meta also announced a range of software and hardware features that raise the bar for what AI glasses can do in daily life.
Dolby Atmos Capture makes Meta Glasses the first consumer device capable of recording and playing back video in Dolby Atmos, capturing moments in true 360-degree spatial sound. Other camera improvements include Dynamic Photo, which automatically captures multiple frames per shot so Meta AI can recommend the best one, and Landscape Crop Mode, which lets users choose horizontal framing for photos, videos, hyperlapses, and slow-motion clips. A Private Processing feature is also being introduced, which Meta says delivers rich AI experiences without any of the user’s data being visible — even to Meta itself.
Hearing Enhancement is another significant addition, representing over five years of research and development. The FDA-cleared software is designed for adults with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss and can be set up at home within minutes, with no clinic visit or prescription required. Hearing Enhancement will launch in the US later this year on select styles, available for $149.99 or as part of a Meta One subscription.
Hologram is a new feature designed to make hands-free video calls more personal. After a brief self-capture session in the Meta AI app, the system generates a photorealistic digital version of the user’s face that the call recipient sees. The hologram is driven entirely by the user’s voice, with expressions inferred from speech tone and content. Hologram will begin rolling out in Early Access on WhatsApp for Meta Ray-Ban Display users in the US later this fall.
Meta Ray-Ban Display Expansion and New Collaborations
The Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses are expanding into five new markets: the UK, Canada, Germany, France, and Italy. The glasses go on sale today in the UK starting at £749 and in Canada starting at CA$1,149. Pre-orders open today in France, Italy, and Germany starting at €899, ahead of availability on October 13. In the US, the Meta Ray-Ban Display continues to start at $799 and is now available to order online. Prescription lens support is available through meta.com in the US and Canada, with select retail locations in the UK, France, and Italy also offering prescriptions.
Additional Meta Ray-Ban Display updates include cycling and public transit directions via Heads-Up Navigation, a more powerful calendar for viewing attendees, accepting or declining invites, and joining meetings, Mirror Notifications to surface phone alerts directly on the display, and Threads integration for following community feeds.
Meta is also broadening its AI glasses lineup through new collaborations and limited editions, including a Meta Glasses by Kylie Jenner collection, an LISA edition with two styles, a limited-edition Meta Fury, and the more affordable Meta Adventurer starting at $249. Meta Glasses are expanding to Singapore, South Korea, Mexico, and the UAE, with Brazil coming soon. A limited-edition Ray-Ban Aviator celebrating the model’s 90th anniversary is also part of the new lineup.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3 is available starting today at $449 in the United States. An India launch has been confirmed, but pricing has not yet been announced.
Muse is Meta's personal AI agent powered by the Muse Spark model. On Meta glasses, users can activate it by saying its name to complete hands-free tasks such as booking travel, sending emails, logging meals, checking flight prices, and making purchases. Muse is currently available only in the US.
Meta's hearing enhancement is FDA-cleared software for adults with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss. It can be set up at home in minutes without a clinic visit or prescription. It will launch in the US later in 2025 on select styles and will be available for $149.99 or as part of a Meta One subscription.
