A blogger predicts Meta will announce a lightweight mixed-reality headset codenamed Phoenix at Meta Connect 2026, priced around $1,000 with 90° FOV and 2.5K resolution per eye. Additional predictions include new smartglasses models, a showcase of realistic Codec Avatars leveraging eye-tracking, and a redesigned user interface for HorizonOS led by former Apple designer Alan Dye.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has consistently prioritized new ventures like the metaverse and AI over child safety concerns, despite publicly claiming to care deeply about the issue. Years of regulatory scrutiny and public backlash have ensued, yet Meta remains profitable and dominant in social media while pursuing emerging technologies like smart glasses and its new AI agent Muse.
ZuckOff, a free app by Polish developer Pawel Szydlowski, detects Meta smart glasses nearby by identifying their Bluetooth signals. The app addresses growing concerns about unsolicited recording with Meta glasses, which have sold roughly seven million units despite criticism over privacy and ease of defeating the recording indicator light.
Meta Connect 2026 will showcase new AI glasses without cameras, a mixed reality headset codenamed Phoenix, and updates to its metaverse platform. CEO Mark Zuckerberg will deliver the keynote on September 23, with the event covering Meta's expanding hardware lineup, AI developments, and virtual reality initiatives.
Snap co-founder Evan Spiegel discusses his company's $2,195 smart glasses that blend digital and physical worlds, arguing they should have a distinct appearance rather than mimicking regular glasses. The innovation aims to transform how people interact with computing and their environment.
Paris prosecutors have launched a criminal investigation into sexual harassment involving smart glasses, following complaints about nonconsensual filming of women. The probe reflects growing global concerns about the technology, with several countries planning regulations as Meta's AI glasses sales surge despite widespread backlash over covert recording and harassment.
Programmer Pawel Szydlowski launched Zuckoff, an app that detects nearby Meta smart glasses via Bluetooth signatures, following widespread criticism that the glasses enable non-consensual video recording. The app has gained 5,000 users since launching on Apple's App Store and has attracted interest from EU regulators, while Meta has faced bans at venues and disabled thousands of tampered devices.
Meta is developing camera-free smart glasses alongside its existing camera-equipped models, following years of backlash over privacy concerns. While the camera-free variant would eliminate features like video recording, it could help Meta distance itself from the 'pervert glasses' reputation that has plagued its AI glasses despite strong sales and market leadership.
Snap unveiled new features for its $2,200 Specs smart glasses at a Los Angeles event, including HBO Max and Spotify integration, an AI productivity system called Specs Intelligence, and enterprise partnerships with Amazon, Salesforce, and Nvidia. The company aims to justify the expensive hardware by positioning it as an AI-native computing device for both consumers and IT professionals, though practical use cases remain limited.
Meta is developing Luna, a new smart glasses model without cameras that features AI chatbot integration and six microphones, reportedly to be unveiled at Meta Connect next week. The move responds to privacy concerns about Meta's camera-equipped smart glasses, which have been criticized as invasive surveillance devices despite their market success.
Snap launched $2,195 Specs augmented reality glasses featuring self-contained computing, dual displays per lens, and a new Specs Intelligence AI platform that surfaces contextual information. The device competes with Meta's $799 Ray-Ban Display glasses and targets both consumers and enterprises, though smart glasses face ongoing privacy concerns about covert recording.