Meta Connect 2025 Highlights New Smart Glasses, Quest Content and Developer Tools
Key Points
- Meta Ray‑Ban Display adds a full‑color screen to Ray‑Ban smart glasses.
- Gen 2 Ray‑Ban glasses offer up to eight hours of battery life and 3K video.
- Oakley Vanguard glasses target athletes with PRIZM lenses and louder speakers.
- Vanguard integrates with Garmin and Strava for voice‑controlled fitness data.
- Horizon TV brings Disney+ to Quest and will add Dolby Vision support.
- James Cameron showcased an exclusive Avatar 3D clip on Horizon TV.
- Horizon Engine promises higher graphics performance for metaverse apps.
- Horizon Studio introduces AI‑driven world creation for developers.
Meta Connect 2025 showcased a range of new products and services. The centerpiece was the Meta Ray‑Ban Display, adding a full‑color screen to the popular Ray‑Ban smart glasses, along with Gen 2 Ray‑Ban models featuring longer battery life and higher‑resolution video. Oakley introduced the Vanguard sports‑oriented glasses with enhanced speakers and fitness integrations. For Quest users, Meta unveiled Horizon TV, bringing Disney+ and future Dolby Vision support, while James Cameron presented an exclusive Avatar clip. The event also introduced Horizon Engine and Horizon Studio, new tools aimed at developers and creators.
Meta Ray‑Ban Display and Gen 2 Glasses
Meta’s flagship announcement was the Ray‑Ban Display, the first Ray‑Ban smart glasses with an on‑lens full‑color screen. The device enables everyday tasks such as checking messages, viewing photos and receiving navigation prompts. Meta promises up to six hours of mixed‑use battery life and up to 30 hours total when used with its charging case. The glasses start at $799 and are slated for a U.S. launch later in the year.
Alongside the Display, Meta rolled out Gen 2 Ray‑Ban glasses. These retain the existing design but double battery life to up to eight hours and upgrade video capture to 3K Ultra HD. Pricing for the Gen 2 models begins at $379.
Oakley Vanguard Sports Glasses
Oakley, another Meta partner, introduced the Vanguard glasses aimed at athletes. The design shifts the camera to the nose bridge and incorporates Oakley’s PRIZM lenses for enhanced contrast. Speakers are described as Meta’s most powerful to date, 6 dB louder than previous models, improving audio clarity during high‑speed activities. Integration with Garmin devices and Strava lets users query heart rate and performance metrics via voice commands. An auto‑capture feature records video when users hit distance, heart‑rate or elevation milestones.
Quest Enhancements: Horizon TV and Content Partnerships
Meta used the keynote to expand the Quest ecosystem. Horizon TV was announced as a central hub for discovering entertainment content. Disney+ will be available through Horizon TV, and support for Dolby Vision is planned for later in the year, complementing existing Dolby Atmos audio.
James Cameron appeared on stage to promote a limited‑time 3D clip from "Avatar: Fire and Ash" available in Horizon TV, underscoring the platform’s push toward premium entertainment.
Developer Tools: Horizon Engine and Horizon Studio
Meta unveiled Horizon Engine, a new graphics engine built from scratch to improve visual fidelity and performance for metaverse experiences. Alongside it, Horizon Studio was introduced as a creator hub featuring AI tools. The AI agent within Horizon Studio can generate entire VR worlds from simple text prompts, streamlining the development process.