seniorspectrumnewspaper – Meta Connect, the company’s annual event for AR, VR, AI, and metaverse updates, is just days away. This year’s event will feature two keynotes: Mark Zuckerberg’s opening keynote on September 17 at 5 PM PT, followed by a developer keynote on September 18 at 10 AM PT. Additional sessions and talks will follow, focusing on developer tools and innovations. Meta has altered the event format, although it hasn’t explained why.
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The spotlight will be on Meta’s next generation of smart glasses, internally codenamed “Hypernova.” These will be the company’s first consumer-ready glasses featuring a display. Leaks over the past year have revealed that the glasses will have a small heads-up display on one side. Unlike Meta’s more immersive Orion prototype, these glasses won’t provide full augmented reality experiences. Instead, they will show notifications, photo previews, and other lightweight information.
The glasses will include a dedicated wristband for controlling features via hand gestures, a concept Meta demonstrated previously with the Orion prototype. Reports suggest the glasses will launch before the end of 2025 and carry a price tag near $800. Early marketing material indicates the product will carry the Ray-Ban branding, dispelling earlier speculation about a separate EssilorLuxottica brand. A promotional video leaked shortly before the event revealed clear-framed glasses with a heads-up display and the wristband controller.
Meta seems to be positioning the Hypernova glasses as a premium product aimed at a niche audience. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicts the device will capture only a small share of the smart glasses market. The company is also expected to reveal an updated Oakley sunglasses model based on the Sphaera design. These will feature a single camera near the nose bridge but will not include a display.
Leaks also suggest Meta plans new Ray-Ban glasses without displays, including sunglasses and clear frame variants. EssilorLuxottica’s Chief Wearables Officer, Rocco Basilico, teased an “extra special” year at Connect and expressed pride in the partnership with Meta.
Meta AI Innovations and Strategic Vision Expected to Take Center Stage
AI will remain a central theme at Meta Connect 2025, following the company’s growing focus on artificial intelligence. Meta AI already serves a billion monthly users, a milestone Zuckerberg will likely highlight during his keynote. New AI-powered features are expected both for Meta’s smart glasses and its broader suite of apps.
Reports indicate Meta is developing new “character-driven” chatbots tailored to non-English speaking users. These bots aim to enhance engagement in various languages but have raised safety concerns. In response, Meta recently restricted teen access to many user-generated AI characters to improve user safety.
Beyond chatbots, Zuckerberg may discuss his vision for building “superintelligence.” This ambitious plan has involved reshaping Meta’s AI teams and making significant executive and research hires. However, his earlier statements on superintelligence drew mixed reactions, and the vision remains somewhat unclear.
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Zuckerberg might also address the company’s progress with its Llama language models. The larger Llama 4 version has faced delays, and Meta’s engineers have reportedly struggled to improve it. Industry observers note a possible strategic shift as Meta appears to move away from fully open-source AI releases.
Overall, Meta Connect 2025 promises major announcements in both smart glasses and AI, reinforcing Meta’s commitment to leading the next wave of digital experiences. As the event unfolds, it will reveal how Meta plans to balance innovation, user safety, and market realities in these emerging technologies.
