Images of the Meta Project Phoenix AR headset have surfaced online ahead of the Meta Connect conference scheduled for September 23. The visuals, discovered within the HorizonOS firmware package for prescription lenses, reveal a design that bridges the gap between bulky VR headsets and standard smart glasses.
The device features a slim frame with integrated lenses and a cable extending from one of the temples, likely connecting to an external battery or compute module. The hardware also appears to house outward and downward-facing cameras. This configuration suggests a direct competitor to existing mixed reality glasses from brands like Xreal and Viture.
While the project has been in development for some time, the market release is not expected until next year. The design approach mirrors that of Google's Project Aura XR, which also utilizes a wired external processing unit. Meta aims to offer a form factor more compact than the Quest 3 but distinct from the Ray-Ban AI glasses.
