What to Expect at Meta Connect 2026: Camera-Free Glasses, 'Phoenix' Headset, and AI Agent Muse

Meta Platforms is set to host its annual Connect conference on September 23, with Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg scheduled to deliver an evening keynote at 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time (7:00 p.m. Eastern Time) from the company's Menlo Park headquarters, according to an event preview by Engadget . The event, followed by developer sessions on September 24 beginning at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time, will focus on hardware developments across smart glasses and mixed reality alongside updates from Meta's artificial intelligence division.

Wearable hardware is expected to feature prominently, led by reported development of a camera-free smart glasses model coming in two styles. Designed with additional microphones to support conversations with Meta's AI assistant, the camera-less design allows for a slimmer frame resembling standard eyewear while sidestepping ongoing privacy concerns regarding recording in public spaces. In a recent Instagram AMA, Meta Chief Technology Officer Andrew Bosworth stated the company would address hardware tampering, including attempts to disable LED recording indicators, during the event. Meta partner Ray-Ban has also hinted at upcoming releases, which could include a Gen 3 refresh or third-party application announcements following developer access opened earlier this year.

In mixed reality, Meta is preparing to debut a new headset codenamed 'Phoenix.' Assets uncovered in a recent HorizonOS update show a slim, goggle-like form factor tethered via cable to a standalone processing puck. The device is reported to rely on eye and hand tracking rather than handheld motion controllers, and is anticipated to run on Qualcomm's Snapdragon Reality Elite chip, a processor announced earlier this year for lightweight spatial computing devices.

On the software and content side, Meta is shifting its HorizonOS entertainment lineup following closures among its internal virtual reality gaming studios. The company is backing a 3D horror series tied to A24's film 'Talk to Me' for headset viewing, as previously reported by Deadline. Keynote attendees may also see demonstrations of photorealistic holographic avatars originally developed under Meta's Orion prototype, with The Information reporting that a digital avatar of Bosworth could appear during the presentation.

AI integrations will center on 'Muse,' Meta's AI agent. Meta previously indicated that smart glasses integration for Muse was slated to arrive soon, offering potential utility for display-free and camera-free hardware configurations following a series of model rollouts from the company's superintelligence group.