Meta Connect 2025: Ray-Ban Display, Gen 2 Glasses, Oakley Vanguard & More Debuts

TL;DR

• Meta unveils Ray-Ban Display with a full-color screen in the right lens, a 12 MP camera, wristband controls, and up to 6 hours of mixed-use, or 30 hours with the charging case; starts at $799.
• Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 glasses get 8-hour battery life, 3K video up to 60fps, a 12 MP ultra-wide camera, and an upgraded charging case with 48 extra hours of power; price from $379 and available now.
• Oakley Meta Vanguard adds a wraparound frame, IP67 protection, a 12 MP 122-degree camera, 3K video, and up to 9 hours of battery; price $499; launches Oct 21 with preorder available.
• Meta’s Hyperscape turns real surroundings into digital space on Quest 3/3S, now in beta via the Hyperscape Capture app; Horizon TV hub brings streaming apps to Quest headsets and adds Disney Plus with ESPN and Hulu; Dolby Atmos now, Dolby Vision later this year.
• Horizon Engine powers Hyperscape and larger virtual worlds, with Horizon Studio adding an AI assistant to stitch together Meta’s AI tools for creating virtual environments. For more context, see The Verge coverage. The Verge coverage

Context and background

Meta’s annual Connect keynote showcased what the company calls the latest in wearable technology, VR/AR, and related software updates. In addition to revealing Meta’s Ray-Ban Display—the long-anticipated display-equipped smart glasses—the event introduced a revamped Ray-Ban Meta line, a new Oakley collaboration, and a slate of software and platform enhancements. Rumors had swirled for months about a smart-glasses product with a built-in display, and Meta confirmed the products and capabilities described below. The Verge summarized the event’s announcements and context in its coverage.

What’s new

Meta Ray-Ban Display

Meta introduced a pair of smart glasses called the Meta Ray-Ban Display, featuring a full-color, high-resolution screen in the right lens. The display supports viewing messages, video calls, live captions, walking directions, and previews of photos captured by the built-in 12-megapixel camera. Control is via a wristband with gestures to scroll, click, and eventually write messages. Battery life is up to six hours of mixed use, or up to 30 hours with the collapsible charging case. The glasses start at $799 and come in black or brown. Availability in the US begins September 30 at Best Buy, LensCrafters, and Ray-Ban stores.

Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2)

A second-generation Ray-Ban Meta glasses line brings an upgraded eight-hour battery life and a 12 MP ultra-wide camera. They support 3K video capture up to 60 frames per second. The included charging case now provides an additional 48 hours of power (up from 36). A new “conversation focus” feature amplifies the voice of the person you’re speaking with in noisy environments. Gen 2 glasses start at $379 and are available now in Wayfarer, Skyler, and Headliner styles.

Oakley Meta Vanguard

Meta partnered with Oakley to launch the Oakley Meta Vanguard, a high-intensity sports-focused pair with a wraparound design and an IP67 rating for water and dust resistance. It includes a 12 MP, 122-degree camera on the nose bridge, capable of recording up to 3K video, and adds new capture modes such as slow-motion, time-lapse, and hyperlapse (these modes will also arrive on Meta’s other AI glasses). It features upgraded speakers and up to nine hours of battery life. The Vanguard is priced at $499 and will launch on October 21, with preorder currently available in four frame and lens color combinations.

Hyperscape and Horizon features

Meta’s Hyperscape is a feature that lets Quest 3 or Quest 3S users scan their surroundings and transform them into a digital space. A beta is available via the Hyperscape Capture app. Horizon TV is a new entertainment hub inside Quest headsets, aggregating streaming apps such as Prime Video, Peacock, Twitch, and YouTube. Disney Plus with ESPN and Hulu is coming to Horizon TV, which supports Dolby Atmos now and plans to add Dolby Vision later this year. The Horizon Engine powers Hyperscape and enables larger virtual-world capacities, while Horizon Studio will be upgraded with an AI assistant that helps stitch together Meta’s AI tools for building virtual environments.

Why it matters (impact for developers/enterprises)

• The Ray-Ban Display and Gen 2 glasses broaden Meta’s wearable strategy by combining cameras, displays, and AI-powered features in everyday eyewear, creating new data capture and communication modalities for users.
• The Oakley Vanguard expands the wearable lineup with a sport-focused, rugged design, deeper fitness-app integrations (Garmin and Strava), and high-end video capture capabilities that can feed Meta’s AI tools and experiences.
• Hyperscape opens new avenues for augmented-digital environments on Quest devices, enabling real-time spatial transformation of physical spaces into digital scenes and potentially richer collaboration workflows.
• Horizon TV in Quest headsets positions Meta as a cross-device streaming hub, integrating major services like Disney Plus, ESPN, and Hulu, and pushing immersive audio-visual formats with Dolby Atmos, with Dolby Vision on the horizon.
• Horizon Engine and Horizon Studio hint at deeper tooling for developers to build larger, more capable virtual worlds and to orchestrate Meta’s suite of AI features within those worlds.

Technical details or Implementation

| Model | Display/Camera | Battery Life | Video | Key Features | Price | Availability |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Meta Ray-Ban Display | Full-color, high-res right-lens display; 12 MP camera | Up to 6 hours (mixed use); up to 30 hours with charging case | 1080p? (Not specified in source); supports live previews | Wristband gestures; built-in camera; messaging and directions | $799 | US starts Sept 30 at Best Buy, LensCrafters, Ray-Ban stores |Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) | 12 MP ultra-wide camera | 8 hours | 3K video up to 60 fps | Conversation focus feature | From $379 | Available now in Wayfarer, Skyler, Headliner |Oakley Meta Vanguard | 12 MP, 122-degree camera | Up to 9 hours | Up to 3K video | IP67; Garmin/Strava integrations; multiple capture modes | $499 | Launch Oct 21; preorder now |

Horizon and related software

• Hyperscape: beta exists via Hyperscape Capture app on Quest 3/3S; transforms surroundings into digital space.
• Horizon TV hub: integrates streaming apps (Prime Video, Peacock, Twitch, YouTube); Disney Plus with ESPN and Hulu coming; Dolby Atmos supported now; Dolby Vision planned for later this year.
• Horizon Engine: powers Hyperscape and supports larger virtual-world capacities; Horizon Studio will add an agentic AI assistant to stitch together Meta’s AI tools for building virtual worlds.

Key takeaways

• Meta is extending its eyewear lineup with a display-equipped Ray-Ban Glasses, a refined Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2, and a sports-focused Oakley Vanguard, signaling a broader push into AI-powered wearables.
• The company is investing in augmented- and mixed-reality experiences through Hyperscape, expandingQuest-based spatial experiences and creator tooling via Horizon Engine and Horizon Studio.
• Horizon TV positions Quest headsets as a streaming platform, broadening content options with major services and immersive audio/visual formats.
• The release cadence shows Meta balancing consumer wearables with developer-focused tools and enterprise-ready capabilities through richer cameras, app integrations, and AI-assisted world-building.

References

• https://www.theverge.com/news/780087/meta-connect-2025-ray-ban-oakley-biggest-announcements