--- title: "Meta Connect 2026: Zuckerberg to unveil camera-less glasses, the Muse AI agent, and the Phoenix headset" description: "On September 23, Mark Zuckerberg will open Meta Connect 2026: the company is preparing camera-less smart glasses, the Muse AI agent, the Hypernova 2 platform, and the Phoenix mixed-reality headset powered by the Snapdragon Reality Elite chip." date: 2026-09-21T13:34:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/meta-connect-2026-camera-less-glasses-phoenix-muse tags: [meta-connect, smart-glasses, ai, mixed-reality, phoenix-headset] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Meta Connect 2026: Zuckerberg to unveil camera-less glasses, the Muse AI agent, and the Phoenix headset ![Meta logo on a dark background — Meta Connect 2026 preview: camera-less glasses, AI agent Muse, and Phoenix headset](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/21/meta-connect-2026-ochki-bez-kamer-phoenix-muse/meta-connect-2026-ochki-bez-kamer-phoenix-muse-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - Meta Connect 2026 will open on September 23 with a keynote by Zuckerberg, followed by developer sessions the next day - The company is preparing camera-less smart glasses in two styles with additional microphones for an AI assistant - Announcements of the Hypernova 2 platform, new Ray-Ban models, and the Phoenix mixed-reality headset on the Snapdragon Reality Elite chip are expected - Particular attention is given to the integration of the Muse AI agent and the development of holographic avatars from the Orion prototype On September 23, 2026, at 7:00 PM Eastern Time, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg will open the annual Meta Connect conference, which, according to industry insiders, could become one of the most packed presentations of the year in the fields of wearable devices and artificial intelligence. This is reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing Zuckerberg's own statement on Instagram. Immediately after the keynote, developer-focused sessions will begin the following day, underscoring the scale of the planned announcements: the company intends to simultaneously expand its smart glasses lineup, unveil new AI releases, and showcase long-awaited hardware devices. ### Camera-less glasses: a bet on privacy One of Meta's most discussed strategic moves is the development of smart glasses without built-in cameras. According to available data, such devices will be released in two stylistic variants and will feature additional microphones designed for interaction with an AI assistant. Dropping the optical module will allow the frames to be noticeably thinner and visually closer to ordinary eyeglasses, while also reducing the wave of criticism around privacy and scandals involving covert recording that accompanied previous generations of devices. Meta's CTO Andrew Bosworth previously noted that the company is preparing separate clarifications and measures against violators who attempt to cover or modify the indicator LED lights that signal the camera is active. ### Hypernova 2, Ray-Ban, and the Phoenix intrigue In addition to the "camera-less" models, an update to the Ray-Ban collaboration is expected, along with possible announcements of the next generation of devices with displays embedded in the lenses — a platform known by the working name Hypernova 2. The main hardware intrigue of the event, however, is considered to be a lightweight mixed-reality headset codenamed Phoenix. Images of the device recently appeared in internal HorizonOS updates: they show a slim gadget using a wired connection to a separate compact unit. Preliminarily, the headset will rely on eye and hand tracking instead of classic controllers and will become one of the first platforms based on the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon Reality Elite chip. ### The Muse AI agent and the ecosystem Against the backdrop of a massive wave of updates in artificial intelligence, the company will pay special attention to its AI agent, Muse, whose integration with smart glasses is expected to happen in the near future. Developers will also hear news about expanded support for third-party apps for the smart glasses ecosystem, as well as updates to the virtual space and the development prospects of holographic avatars, first demonstrated in the Orion prototype. Taken together, these announcements show that Meta is betting on the "glasses + AI agent + mixed reality" combination as the central axis of its product strategy for the coming years. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - [What to expect from Meta Connect 2026: camera-less smart glasses, the Phoenix headset, and new AI](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/chogo-chekati-vid-meta-connect-2026-smartokulyari-1789996539.html) - Основной источник: дата/время выступления, темы, очки без камер, Phoenix, Muse, Orion. - [Meta* to release camera-less glasses: for those who fear surveillance](https://hi-tech.mail.ru/news/155631-meta-vypustit-ray-ban-bez-kamery-ochki-luna-s-ii/) - Подтверждает направление на выпуск очков без камер с ИИ-функциями. - [Media: Meta to release AI glasses without a camera](https://forklog.com/news/smi-meta-vypustit-ii-ochki-bez-kamery) - Согласуется с темой ИИ-очков без камеры. - [Meta* to release new smart glasses without cameras](https://runet.news/news/80300) - Дополнительное подтверждение анонса очков без камер. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: When will Meta Connect 2026 take place? **A:** Mark Zuckerberg's keynote is scheduled for September 23, 2026, at 7:00 PM Eastern Time, with developer sessions beginning the following day. ### Q: What are Meta's camera-less glasses? **A:** This is a new line of smart glasses without a built-in optical module, which will be released in two styles and feature additional microphones for interacting with an AI assistant; dropping the cameras makes them thinner and reduces criticism over privacy. ### Q: What is the Phoenix headset? **A:** Phoenix is a lightweight mixed-reality headset, images of which appeared in internal HorizonOS updates; it uses a wired connection to a compact unit, eye and hand tracking, and, according to preliminary data, the Qualcomm Snapdragon Reality Elite chip. ### Q: What AI product will Meta showcase? **A:** The company will pay special attention to integrating its Muse AI agent with smart glasses, as well as discuss holographic avatars first shown in the Orion prototype.