Meta unveils 100 gram VR glasses with gesture control and 3D movie viewing

Meta has unveiled a new $1,299.99 Virtual Reality (VR) device that puts displays, cameras, and sensors into a glasses-like form factor, while also turning some of its Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered glasses into FDA-cleared over-the-counter hearing aids. The announcements came at Meta Connect 2026 as the company continues shifting its wearable technology strategy toward glasses and its personal AI agent, Muse.

The new Meta VR Glasses, which we first talked about years ago, will go on sale in spring 2027 for $1,299.99. Unlike conventional VR headsets, the device weighs about 100 grams, with the processor, battery, and storage moved into a separate computing puck connected to the glasses by an optical tether.

The split design is one of the most significant differences between Meta’s new glasses and traditional VR headsets. The glasses contain the displays and sensing hardware, while the external puck handles much of the computing and power. Meta said the system is five times lighter than its Quest 3 headset. The glasses use micro-OLED panels with a 5K Infinite Display and are powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Reality Elite processor. The puck provides up to three hours of continuous high-resolution media playback and supports 45-watt fast charging.

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The device is designed for more than virtual reality gaming. The company revealed that the users can create a private multi-screen workspace, with flat surfaces functioning as virtual keyboards and touchpads. More than 75 games are expected to support hand-gesture controls at launch, while Xbox Cloud Gaming will provide access to additional games.

The headset is also the first VR device to receive IMAX Enhanced certification, Meta added. Disney will bring selected 3D movies to the platform, while other services including HBO Max, Peacock and Paramount are also preparing 3D catalogues.

Meta also says the platform will support more than 100 immersive live sports events each year through partners including ESPN and TNT Sports. At $1,299.99, the device sits between Meta’s existing Quest headsets and Apple’s much more expensive Vision Pro.

Business Standard noted that the Meta device costs about one-third as much as Apple’s $3,699 headset while weighing roughly one-sixth as much. The more unexpected announcement concerns Meta’s non-VR glasses. Meta is introducing Hearing Enhancement, an FDA-cleared software feature that can turn supported Meta Glasses into over-the-counter hearing aids for adults with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss. According to reports, users can perform a guided hearing test through the Meta AI app, allowing the glasses to create an individual hearing profile and adjust amplification accordingly. The system is designed to amplify speech while using machine learning to suppress background noise.

The feature is scheduled to arrive in the US later this year on supported glasses. It will cost $149.99 as a one-time activation or be included with a Meta One subscription, according to reporting from TechRadar and other coverage of the announcement.

Meta is also introducing the $349 Ray-Ban Meta Audio, its first camera-free AI glasses. The 43-gram glasses use open-ear audio and can handle music, calls, and Meta’s AI assistant without incorporating a camera. They offer up to 12 hours of battery life, with another 48 hours available from the charging case, and are scheduled to ship later this year.

The camera-free design also gives Meta another way to address privacy concerns surrounding camera-equipped smart glasses. Alongside these products, Meta announced the third-generation Ray-Ban Meta glasses, new Meta Glasses styles and the expansion of its Muse AI agent across its wearable lineup.

Taken together, the announcements show Meta moving beyond the idea of glasses as simply VR or camera devices. The company is increasingly treating ordinary-looking eyewear as a platform for computing, AI, communication, and now hearing assistance.

First published on Fanatical Futurist on 23 September 2026.

311 Intelligence

What this means

Analysis by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit

The big shift is from headsets to glasses. By moving the processor, battery and storage into a separate puck, Meta has cut its VR device to about 100 grams, five times lighter than Quest 3, and priced it at about one-third of Apple's Vision Pro. At the same time it is turning ordinary-looking eyewear into a platform for computing, AI, communication and hearing assistance. We track the AI Glasses Boom, glasses with built-in AI assistants becoming one of the fastest growing consumer devices, as an Explore trend with wide use expected by 2032.

What it means by sector.

• Consumer electronics: weight and price have held VR back. A 100 gram device with micro-OLED panels resets what buyers will expect. We rate Micro-OLED Displays a Prepare technology and expect wide use by 2030.
• Healthcare: FDA-cleared hearing aid software on mainstream glasses blurs the line between gadget and medical device. We track Medical Grade Wearables, consumer wearables winning regulator clearance for health uses, as a Prepare trend with wide use expected by 2030.
• Media, sport and work: Disney 3D films, IMAX Enhanced certification, live sports and multi-screen workspaces give the device uses beyond gaming. We track Virtual Workspaces as a Watch trend, with wide use not expected until 2040.

What to do now.

• Test whether your content, training or products could work on lightweight glasses rather than full headsets.
• If you make or sell health products, watch how regulators treat software features that turn consumer devices into medical ones.
• Review your privacy policies for camera-equipped smart glasses used by staff and visitors.

The Starburst technologies behind this story

From the 311 Technology Starburst (first product, expected wide use and readiness):

Technology	Category	First product	Wide use	Action	TRL
Virtual Reality	User Interfaces	1991	2032	Explore	9
Micro-OLED Displays	User Interfaces	2005	2030	Prepare	9
Gesture Control	User Interfaces	2003	2030	Prepare	9
Spatial Computing	User Interfaces	2015	2042	Watch	9

And the trends they feed, from the 311 Trends Starburst:

Trend	Wide use	Action
AI Glasses Boom	2032	Explore
Medical Grade Wearables	2030	Prepare
Immersive Reality	2031	Explore
Virtual Workspaces	2040	Watch

How this moves the trend

The move from headsets to glasses has been building for years. In 2020 Facebook showed its first VR glasses prototype, and in 2021 HTC unveiled its slimline VR glasses. By 2024 Meta was trying to make smart glasses the new smartphones. The VR Glasses turn that prototype into a product with a price and a launch date.

Go deeper with 311

• The 311 Starburst Centre: every technology and trend above, with timelines and readiness.
• 311 Vantage: ask what smart glasses and lighter VR mean for your organisation and get a plain English executive brief.
• The Exponential Technology Codex and the Annual Trends Codex: the technologies and trends reshaping every industry.
• Book a briefing or keynote on the future of wearables and immersive technology for your board or leadership team.