Meta moves the battery off its VR glasses to lighten the load on your face

You want to watch a film on a big screen from the sofa. A VR headset can put that screen before your eyes, but first you have to fit the device to your face and gather the controls. For a two-hour film, you carry its weight for two hours too. The VR glasses Meta introduced at Connect 2026 reduce the part you wear on your face.

Announced on September 23, local time, Meta VR Glasses have an eyewear component weighing about 100g. The Ray-Ban Meta Audio and third-generation Ray-Ban Meta announced alongside them also adjust their shape and controls for listening to music or recording video.

Battery in your pocket, screen before your eyes

The 100g figure does not cover the entire device. The displays and sensors stay in the glasses, while processing, battery power and storage move to a separate module called a puck. Connected to the glasses by a cable, the puck can be secured in a pocket or bag. Some of the weight once carried by the face moves elsewhere on the body.

Meta demonstrated controls using eye tracking, hand gestures and voice. The setup lets users play films and work with apps and workspaces without a separate controller. You still need the puck and cable, but there is less to hold in your hands while using the display.

The announced US price is $1,299.99, with a launch planned for spring 2027. How comfortable the glasses are over long sessions will become clearer through use after release.

Sound for a walk

Ray-Ban Meta Audio has no display in front of the eyes. Instead, the glasses provide music, podcasts, calls and voice conversations with AI. Their open-ear design leaves the ears uncovered so surrounding sounds remain audible.

Meta lists a weight of 43g and up to 12 hours of use on a charge, with the case providing up to 48 additional hours. US prices start at $349; at the announcement, shipping was scheduled to begin on October 13. Actual battery life depends on which functions are used and for how long.

For someone who already wears glasses, this could remove one step from getting ready to go out. Instead of putting on glasses and then taking out earbuds, they can play music through the same pair. The glasses add sound near the ears without covering the view.

A button within reach when it is time to record

The third-generation Ray-Ban Meta includes a 12-megapixel camera, 3K video recording and a customizable action button. Meta announced up to nine hours of use and US prices starting at $449. It also outlined plans to bring its personal AI agent Muse to AI glasses, though availability and timing need to be checked for each product and region.

The three products put a similar shape to work at different moments: less weight on the face during a film, sound on a walk and a reachable button for recording. The announcement changes more than display and camera specifications. It also changes where users carry the equipment and how they operate it.