Meta Connect 2025 Highlights: Oakley Meta Vanguard, Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 Smart Glasses and New AI Features Unveiled

Meta hosted its annual Connect event on Wednesday, led by CEO Mark Zuckerberg. The company emphasised its focus on smart glasses, calling them the next stage in human-computer interaction, blending hardware, AI, and software into one experience. Announcements included the Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses with an integrated screen and the Oakley-branded “Meta Vanguard” model that wraps around the face with a central camera. Meta also introduced the second-generation Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses. Here's a roundup of all the new tech and tech updates announced by Meta.

Everything Announced at Meta Connect 2025

Meta Ray-Ban Display

Meta has unveiled the Ray-Ban Display, its first smart glasses with a built-in AR screen. Weighing 69g, they are slightly heavier than the Vanguard and previous-gen Ray-Ban Meta glasses. The 600×600 display sits at the bottom of the right lens, offering a 20-degree field of view, 5,000 nits brightness, and minimal light leakage (2 percent). It runs at 90Hz generally and 30Hz when streaming.

The Wayfarer frames come with transition lenses, prescription support (-4.00 to +4.00), and a 12-megapixel camera with 3X zoom, capable of 3024×4032p photos and 1080p/30fps videos. With 32GB of storage, the glasses can hold about 1,000 images and 100 short videos.

Paired with the glasses is the Meta Neural Band, an sEMG wristband that detects tiny wrist and finger movements to control on-screen actions. Made from durable Vectran, it offers 18 hours of battery life and IPX7-rated splash resistance. Future updates will allow full-text input. The glasses enable visual Meta AI responses, text messaging, WhatsApp/Messenger video calls, navigation, translation, captions, and serve as a live camera viewfinder.

Priced at $799 (roughly Rs. 70,100), including the Neural Band, the Meta Ray-Ban Display will go on sale on September 30 in the US with wider availability in 2026. 

Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2

The Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 smart glasses bring key upgrades while keeping the familiar design. Available in three frame styles, including Wayfarer, Skyler, and Headliner, across 27 frame, colour, and lens combinations, they offer more style options than the first generation.

Audio has improved with stronger open-ear speakers and a five-microphone array that reduces background noise, enhancing clarity for calls and Meta AI interactions. The biggest leap is battery life, where the latest Gen 2 claims to last for up to eight hours on a full charge, nearly double the Gen 1 runtime. The charging case is said to add 48 hours of use and can recharge the glasses to 50 percent in 20 minutes.

The camera now records 3K videos at 30fps for three minutes, or 30-second clips at 60fps, while maintaining 3024×4032p photo resolution. Upcoming updates will add slow motion and hyperlapse modes. On the software side, Conversation Focus amplifies voices in noisy settings, and expanded live translation now supports German and Portuguese, with offline support planned for all six languages via downloadable packs.

The Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 glasses start at $379 (roughly Rs. 33,300), while models with polarised lenses cost $409 (roughly Rs. 36,000) and those with transition lenses cost $459 (roughly Rs. 40,400). Meta will launch them in India and Mexico later this year.

Oakley Meta Vanguard

Meta also introduced the Oakley Meta Vanguard, branded as “Performance AI glasses,” built for athletes and high-intensity sports. Weighing 66g, they feature a wraparound design with IP67 dust and splash resistance and Oakley's Prizm Lens technology, which blocks sun, wind, and dust.

The glasses house a 12-megapixel camera with a 122-degree field of view, placed above the nose piece for first-person recording. Users can capture 1080p videos at 30fps for five minutes or 60fps for three minutes, as well as 3K videos at 30fps for three minutes. Slow-motion and hyperlapse modes are also supported. The nose piece is replaceable for comfort.

Like the Ray-Ban Meta, the Vanguard includes open-ear speakers and a five-microphone array with wind noise reduction, ensuring clear AI interactions and calls, even in 30mph winds. New controls include an Action button for camera modes and a customisable secondary button. Connectivity comes via Bluetooth 5.3 and Wi-Fi, with 32GB storage onboard.

A partnership with Garmin enables workout and health insights when paired with its smartwatches. Battery life reaches nine hours of typical use, six hours of music playback, plus 36 extra hours from the charging case.

Priced at $499 (roughly Rs. 43,850), the Vanguard launches October 21 in select markets, expanding to India and others later this year.

Meta Hyperscape Beta Brings Real-World Scanning to Quest 3

Meta also introduced Hyperscape, a feature for Quest 3 and Quest 3S headsets that lets users map their environment and convert it into a virtual space. First previewed at last year's Meta Connect, the feature is now available in beta through the Hyperscape Capture app.

Meta Debuts Horizon TV Hub With Streaming Apps and Dolby Atmos

Meta is rolling out a Horizon TV entertainment hub for Quest headsets, bringing all available streaming apps together in one place. Users will be able to access Prime Video, Peacock, Twitch, YouTube, and soon Disney Plus, ESPN, and Hulu, which are joining the platform.

The hub offers Dolby Atmos audio for surround sound, with Dolby Vision support set to arrive later this year. Certain films, including M3GAN and The Black Phone, will also feature exclusive immersive effects viewable only inside Quest headsets.

Meta Enhances Horizon Engine With Better Graphics, Speed, and AI Tools

Meta also announced that its Horizon Engine now delivers enhanced visuals, quicker performance, and more sophisticated virtual environments. The engine drives the new Hyperscape feature and supports larger-scale virtual worlds. Additionally, Meta is set to upgrade Horizon Studio with an agentic AI assistant that integrates its existing AI tools to help users build virtual spaces more seamlessly.