Meta VR glasses, Muse pendant and more: Mark Zuckerberg unveils key products at Connect; check price, features and more

Mark Zuckerberg's Meta has expanded its smart-glasses lineup with camera-free models, support for the popular new Muse assistant and a hearing-aid mode.

During its Connect conference, the Facebook parent unveiled the Ray-Ban Meta Audio, its first pair of glasses without cameras. The company also introduced a third-generation model of its camera-equipped Ray-Ban spectacles and new versions of its more affordable Meta-branded frames.

At the company's annual Connect conference on Wednesday, Zuckerberg opened his keynote address by saying “it’s no secret that people in the industry have a wide range of views about how the future is going to go.” But at Meta, he said, “we are optimists because we believe in people.”

Check key launches here:

Meta VR Glasses

Meta VR Glasses, the previous bulky headset has been replaced by a set of glasses, which weigh about 100 grams (3.5 ounces), or roughly as much as a deck of cards. In comparison, the Meta Quest 3, which launched in 2023, weighs about five times that much. The difference feels similar to that between scuba diving and swimming goggles.

Instead of controllers or a neural wristband that past headsets or glasses required, the VR glasses use an eye-tracking camera and sensor that essentially lets your eyes be the computer cursor and your fingers the mouse clicker. If you want to open an app, for instance, you look at it and use hand and finger gestures, or use voice commands to talk to the Meta AI agent.

A new feature called “VR Enhanced Cinema” seeks to immerse viewers in the movie by transforming their surroundings beyond the screen into a virtual world inspired by the movie, with dynamic effects, 3D visuals and spatial audio. It is a bit like watching a movie and having the room around you turn into the movie set.

The glasses can also be used for work. A user can conjure a virtual keyboard on any flat surface and use the display as their computer screen (or several screens) only they can see. For even more of a robust setup, users will be able to connect their Mac or Windows PC to seamlessly transition onto these screens, and bring their own keyboard and mouse. The VR glasses, unlike headsets of the past, will let wearers see their desk setup and surroundings while they work.

Zuckerberg's first live demo of the night also showed off the glasses' ability to use hologram technology to project a photorealistic digital version of a person, including their real-time expressions and reactions, for hands-free video calling.

The VR glasses will be launched in 2027 and cost you $1,300.

MUSE pendant

Zuckerberg announced at the event that Meta is planning to release a keychain-like device that has the “whole Muse experience” packed into it, called Muse Charm, in time for the holidays in December.

With the help of a mascot for the agent that looks like a plush toy, Wang and senior leadership at Meta demonstrated different uses for the agent in everyday life. Users will be able to have real-time voice conversations and video chats with their version of the agent, which can also be customized to look and sound unique. The agent can help users plan travel, book reservations, order groceries and complete other helpful tasks.

Meta has partnered with companies like OpenTable, Spotify, Ticketmaster and more to help its agents complete these tasks.

The company is working to bring Muse to its AI glasses lineup for hands-free access.

New AI audio glasses

The Facebook parent is launching an audio version of its more widely known smart glasses.

The new product will let users listen to music, make calls and talk with an AI assistant but there will be no screen or video recording, which has raised privacy concerns with some users recording people without permission.

The device will be called Ray-Ban Meta Audio and be available for purchase in October. The starting price of the glasses is at $349.

Meta is also building upon a previous feature that allowed glasses wearers to better hear a conversation in a noisy environment.

The company is also offering more styles to appeal to a broader range of people and says it will have more than 100 different options across its Ray-Ban, Oakley, and Meta Glasses by the end of the year. The glasses will also be available in more countries, including Turkey, Hong Kong and the Philippines.

The newest generation of the classic Ray-Ban Meta glasses is also now available, with what the company touts as a slimmer, sleeker design and increased battery life, among other upgrades. The Generation 3 models are available now with prices starting at $449.