Meta Connect 2025 live blog: Hypernova, Ray-Ban 3, Meta AI, Quest and more
The Connect 2025 keynote starts Wednesday evening. Until then, we'll lift the curtain on what products we expect to see (Celeste) or not see (Quest 4).
What are the Meta Hypernova glasses, you may ask? According to several credible leaks, Meta will sell monocular smart HUD glasses, codenamed "Hypernova" but possibly named "Meta Celeste."
Like other Meta glasses, they'll have built-in cameras for photography and data processing, a mic for voice commands, and speakers for music and AI responses.
As for what's new, these glasses will have one built-in display in the right lens and Android-powered computational hardware built into the frames. Both Meta AI voice commands and gesture controls, tracked by the sEMG band pictured above, will control the device.
This year, we can expect Zuckerberg to showcase new updates for the Meta AI app, Llama 4, and Horizon Worlds, as well as whatever new AI features Meta has cooked up for its Ray-Ban Meta and Oakley HSTN glasses. Last year's demos were a bit unpolished with technical hiccups, so we'll see if Meta can do better.
His major focus, however, should be on the Hypernova glasses, while the Ray-Ban Gen 3s could also make an appearance, even if they don't launch until 2026.
At Meta Connect 2024, CEO Mark Zuckerberg gave a 45-minute keynote. He introduced the new Quest 3S and discussed Horizon Worlds for about 10 minutes, then spent twice as long demoing new Meta AI and Ray-Ban AI features like live translation, Live AI, or remembering where you parked. He closed out with another 10 minutes exhibiting the Meta Orion prototype and its unique features.
Other Connect developer sessions will focus on creating Meta Horizon worlds in the VR and mobile space, including new generative AI tools to automate the process and accessing Meta's Creator Fund.
I'm personally curious about the session "Your Android app, now in VR: Meta Horizon OS integration." Meta's toughest XR rivals are Google and Samsung, which will offer Gemini and Android apps on Project Moohan when it launches in 2025. It makes sense that Meta would try to court Android devs, but it could be a struggle.
Anyone invited to attend Meta Connect in person will also get to attend Developer sessions. Of these, we're particularly interested in the session on the "new developer toolkit from Meta to be announced September 18."
While developers can access the open Meta Horizon OS for Quest headsets, Meta's AI glasses remain closed (for now). Meta could open up its current and future smart glasses' OS, so third-party devs can have their apps appear on the Hypernova display, or integrate with Meta AI for voice commands.
Opening up its system will help Meta compete with Google's open Android XR platform for smart glasses and XR headsets.
Meta has already shared the Connect 2025 programming agenda. These are the highlights:
9/17 5p PST: Connect Keynote. "Join Mark Zuckerberg as he shares the latest on AI glasses and lays out Meta's vision for artificial intelligence and the metaverse."
9/18 10a PST: Developer Keynote. "Hear from executives across Meta on how our latest technologies are creating opportunities for developers to build new experiences for people."
9/18 10:45a PST: The future of computing. "As Meta announces its latest line of new products and updates that take the next steps on the journey to the next computing platform, we look even further into the future. Join visionaries Michael Abrash and Richard Newcombe as they reveal the exciting future of glasses with contextual AI, and how Meta is poised to transform the future of computing."
This agenda makes it clear that we'll see "new products," confirming what we already expected. You may only care about the keynote, but "The future of computing" could show smart glasses fans what Meta's vision is for future hardware generations.
